Take Me For Who I Am
by btRkun
Summary: Inu/Kag. Kagome hasn't dated since this one guy back in the 8th grade. What happens when her friends try to change that? Full Summary inside.
1. Summary, Notes, Disclaimer

Title: Take Me for Who I Am  
Author: btRkun  
Rating: R for language and lemon  
  
Characters: Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Miroku, Sango, Ayame, Tea, Hojo, Kouga  
  
Plot: Just the mere mention of his name sends girls into fits of giggles and turn their faces a shade of crimson, all girls except Kagome Higurashi, whose interests led her elsewhere. Some time during her third year of high school her friends begin to wonder why Kagome never takes up on any of the offers made by guys at their school. So they devise a plan... a bet to see who can get Kagome to go out with a guy first. The winner's prize is a paid ticket to prom including hair, nails, limo, and accessories. Ayame, Tea, and Miroku all have their eyes set on a specific someone, but Sango feels what they are doing is very deceitful and does nothing. When Kagome finds out the truth what will happen to the friendship that has lasted more than ten years?  
  
Pairing: Inu/Kag  
  
Authors Notes and Disclaimer: I don't own the anime Inu Yasha or any of the characters. This awesome anime belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. This story is the only thing that belongs to me and I would appreciate it if you give me credit if you are inspired to write something similar.  
  
About the Rating: This will be my first lemon fic that has been posted. Yes, this is a lemon fanfiction so please take the R rating seriously. There will be sexual situations in it and adult language. Children under the age of 17 should not read this fanfiction. Don't say I never warned you!  
  
Yen/US Dollar exchange rate: 50 yen equals 1 US dollar. 250 yen equals 5 US dollars. If I'm wrong someone please tell me!!! 


	2. The Plot and Threats

Title: Take Me for Who I Am  
Author: btRkun  
Chapter: 1 - The Plot and Threats  
Pronunciation notes:  
Tea is pronounced Téä  
Ayame is pronounced A ya mé  
"Hey guys, can we stop at the bathroom for a moment? I'm having a crisis here. I have to pee like a race horse!" A group of girls laughed, a boy's laugh stuck out like a sore thumb.  
  
"Sure thing Kag. I have to go too. Let's stop at the bathroom around the corner." Tea said. Four girls, Kagome, Tea, Ayame, and Sango, and one guy, Miroku, walked casually down the once crowded hallway of their high school. The hallways had a couple of stragglers, all of which were surrounded by a group of people. Some wore jerseys, some belonged to clubs, and some were the every day druggies. Kagome paid no attention to them and instead quickened her pace as she came within ten feet of the girls' bathroom.  
  
"I guess she needs to go!" Sango chuckled. Everyone followed Kagome into the bathroom. Sango, however stopped right in the doorway with a look of total disgust engraved upon her features. In front of her was a sink and above that was a mirror. The mirror reflected Sango and one other. The other reflection grinned at her. "And where the hell do you think you're going, lecher?" Sango said with clenched teeth.  
  
Miroku cleared his throat and looked thoughtful. "There may very well be mice or even roaches. This school is very unsanitary. Who knows what disgusting things you may encounter? You just might need someone to help squash a bug for you." Miroku crossed his arms and nodded twice with his eyes closed. His grin twitched a little. Sango growled and raised her hand to point to the hallway. Flamed licked and sparked in her eyes. Miroku quickly complied and backed away scared.  
  
Sango turned around and walked into the bathroom. A stall door closed with a bang. Kagome laughed at the situation as if it were nothing new.  
  
"Hey Kag, what are you doing tonight? Want to go to WacDonalds?" Tea asked.  
  
"No. I need to study for that history test tomorrow."  
  
"That's all you ever do, Kagome. You need to get out and live! You need to drink! You need to party! You need to go out with guys!" Ayame said enthusiastically.  
  
"Come to think of it. When was the last time you went out with a guy?" Tea asked quietly.   
  
"Shit." Kagome said. The stall door started to ease open slowly. Ayame walked over and closed it shut. "Thanks, Ayame."  
  
"Sure, Kag. You gonna answer my question?" Kagome remained silent for a few moments. The stall door began to open by itself again; Sango came over this time and gently kicked the door closed.  
  
"Or could it be that you've never had a boyfriend before?" Tea inquired. Kagome remained silent. The door opened once more.   
  
"What the hell is going on here?!" Kagome began to get very irritated. Not only was the door being a major bitch by not staying closed but her friends were prying open another door... a door Kagome had mentally locked away... the door whose key was purposely lost, and hopefully for good. "Oh my God. This door has no freaking lock! Someone tore the entire lock off! What jerk off did this?!" Tea and Ayame's eyes widened in shock. Sango shrugged it off. A maniacal laugh could be heard from outside the bathroom. Miroku stood outside the bathroom door laughing his head off.  
  
"Miroku! Was it you?!" Sango yelled out.  
  
"No way! I'm no pervert!" He yelled back in protest.  
  
"I never asked if you were a pervert! We already know the answer to that one! I asked if you pulled the lock off the door!"  
  
"Me?! Do I honestly look like I'd do something like that?"  
  
"Yes! You do look like someone who would. Whether you're capable of doing something like that is another question."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Think carefully, Miroku. Stop thinking if your brain hurts too much." Everyone giggled except Miroku.  
  
"Kagome! I've never seen you so pissed before!" Kagome rolled her eyes from behind the stall. She pulled up her skirt back down over her thighs and flushed the toilet.  
  
"Well it won't be the last time either." Tea and Ayame quickly understood the silent threat. Neither of them pursued or asked Kagome any more questions on why she didn't date. The side of Sango's lips curled up in a half smile.  
  
Kagome emerged from the stall and growled in frustration. "I can't believe someone would purposely steal the lock from the door! UGH! How annoying!" She made her way to the sink and washed her hands. Soon afterwards the four girls and Miroku walked out the front doors of the building. The sun was beginning to set and it cast a fiery orange glow over the five friends who walked down the side of the street. The friends chatted for a while before Kagome turned down a street and left the other four. As soon as she was out of earshot and down the street Ayame turned to face her three friends and whispered eagerly.  
  
"I've had a great idea! We should set Kagome up with someone." Sango frowned in disapproval.  
  
"She won't like that at all." Sango said quietly.  
  
"Well then you don't have to participate." Her eyes sparkled with mischief.  
  
"Participate in what?" Tea asked. She smiled in a knowing way.  
  
"Let's make a bet. A bet to see who can get Kagome to go out with a guy first." Ayame continued. She paused to take in the smiling faces. Everyone's face was smiling, everyone except Sango.  
  
"So...?" Tea started.  
  
"So what?" Ayame asked. She already knew the question but felt like prolonging the answer.  
  
"So what are the details?"  
  
"We will all choose a guy to bribe. We'll gather our money and bribe them with 250 yen each. The bribe is to get them to take Kagome out. The first one to actually get Kagome to go out with a guy will get..." Ayame paused, obviously in deep thought.  
  
"A free ticket to prom! OOH! And of course that includes hair, nails, dress, a limo... the works!" Tea piped in.  
  
"Excellent! One problem." Miroku looked serious all of a sudden. His brows furrowed in concentration. "I don't wear dresses."  
  
"Oh brother. So we'll get you a tux if you win. Sound good?" Sango couldn't take any more. She heard enough.  
  
"You guys are horrible. There's probably reason why Kagome doesn't date. You saw how angry she got when you asked her if she had ever had a boyfriend!" She paused to look at their faces. The sky was changing into a violent shade of red. "What you're planning is really deceitful and if you go through with it I'm telling Kagome."  
  
"My God! Since when have you been the tattle tale?! Lighten up!" Tea replied in a sarcastic tone.  
  
"You did not just say that to me!" Sango's voice quivered with anger. "I'm serious! You go through with it and I'm telling her." She repeated.  
  
"Well, obviously you won't be a part of it then. Oh, by the way..." Ayame's eyes narrowed to thin, threatening slits. "You do tell her then I tell her that you purposely threw her books and her bag into the river." Sango puffed up infuriated.  
  
"Her bag was stolen and you know it!"  
  
"But we don't know who actually stole it, now do we?" Ayame whispered dangerously. "You tell her and I swear I'll come up with the worst lie imaginable." Her mood suddenly changed. "Besides, we're just trying to have some clean fun! A late April Fools Day joke! So, are you in Sango?" Sango said nothing to Ayame. Instead she looked at Tea and Miroku.   
  
"You both should be ashamed at yourselves." With that being said Sango stormed away towards her house.  
  
"You think she'll squeal?" Tea asked.  
  
"Naw... Sango has never been the one to squeal. Plus we all know she values her friendship with Kagome above everything else in the world." Tea nodded in agreement. "So. Which guys should we bribe?" A grin plastered on her face. "I claim Kouga. We all know he'd do anything to get into Kagome's pants." Everyone laughed.  
  
"I know what you mean! Remember the time Freshman year he sang that old Frank Sinatra song to her in Algebra class?" Miroku said shaking with laughter.  
  
"Yeah! That was classic! I can still remember her face! It resembled a tomato! I'll get Hojo to do it. He's a really nice guy... ignorant, naïve, and eager to please Kagome." Tea said. "How about you Miroku?" Miroku's smile began to fade. He stood there for a moment thinking.  
  
"Yo! Miroku! Dumbass! You said you'd meet up with me after school!" A tall figure with long silver hair jogged down the street. His baggy pants and shirt were plastered to his body because of the wind. He was wearing shades despite the oncoming darkness of night and he wore a cap. No one except Miroku understood why he wore a cap, it was common knowledge not to try to take it off his head, though. The last time someone did that they ended up in the emergency ward.  
  
Miroku's mouth curled upward into a very large grin. "Yeah... I have someone in mind." He said finally.   
So! How was it? I hope you all like it so far! My usual fanfics are very lengthy and wordy and full of fluff, but I've been noticing that I don't get very many reviews with those. I tried a shorter one with less fluff once before and received a lot of reviews! So hopefully this one does as well! Please review! The more reviews the faster the next chapters go up! 


	3. Revealed

Title: Take Me for Who I Am  
Author: btRkun  
Chapter: 2 - Revealed  
Summary:  
"Yeah! That was classic! I can still remember her face! It resembled a tomato! I'll get Hojo to do it. He's a really nice guy... ignorant, naïve, and eager to please Kagome." Tea said. "How about you Miroku?" Miroku's smile began to fade. He stood there for a moment thinking.  
  
"Yo! Miroku! Dumbass! You said you'd meet up with me after school!" A tall figure with long silver hair jogged down the street. His baggy pants and shirt were plastered to his body because of the wind. He was wearing shades despite the oncoming darkness of night and he wore a cap. No one except Miroku understood why he wore a cap, it was common knowledge not to try to take it off his head, though. The last time someone did that they ended up in the emergency ward.  
  
Miroku's mouth curled upward into a very large grin. "Yeah... I have someone in mind." He said finally.   
Miroku turned around slowly and faced his silver haired crony. The look on his friend's face was nothing less than irritated. It was obvious Miroku had forgotten to meet his friend and left him waiting. However, by the appearance on the silver haired one he probably didn't wait long.  
  
"Miroku! You bastard! You know how long you left me waiting?!" He yelled. He broke into a sprint for the last fifteen yards and stopped short in front of Miroku. He easily lifted Miroku by the scruff of his neck and stared into Miroku's eyes with his teeth bared.  
  
"Knowing your patience I'd say about ten minutes, Inu yasha." Tea snorted trying to stifle her laughter. Inu yasha turned to face her and growled, Tea stopped immediately and looked on with alarm.  
  
"You don't honestly mean to use him do you?" Tea said shocked. Miroku grinned as one of Inu yasha's silver eyebrows lifted in bewilderment. "He's the hottest guy and most unreachable guy in school!" Inu yasha rolled his eyes.  
  
"What?" He dropped Miroku and took a step to the side to face Tea. She took a step back intimidated by his demeanor. "What do you mean by 'use'?" Inu yasha questioned.  
  
"W... well. I mean... that is..." Tea stammered.  
  
"We want to ask you a favor Inu yasha!" Ayame shoved Tea aside and got up right in Inu yasha's face. Well, as close as possible... he towered a full head above her, yet she didn't seem intimidated at all. Inu yasha didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't blink. He stared at her through dark shades. She waited for him to say something.  
  
"I don't have time for favors." He answered quietly. Ayame's eyes sparkled.  
  
"Well then what if we paid you to do this favor for us?" Inu yasha's eyes squinted.  
  
"How much and for what favor?" Ayame gave him a full toothy grin that went from ear to ear.  
  
"You see, Inu yasha... we have a friend that doesn't seem to get out enough. And these last few years we've begun to notice that she turns down every guy that asks her out." Ayame stroked a finger across his chest flirtatiously.  
  
"I'm not taking out a girl with a sexuality crisis." He growled.  
  
"Oh God no!" Ayame laughed at his response. "She's not that way! She just hasn't gone out with any guys!" He waited for her to continue. "If we pay you 250 yen will you take her out? All three of us are competing to see who gets K... ah... this girl, our friend, to go out with a guy first. If you manage to take her out first before these other two guys then you get another 250 yen." Inu yasha turned and walked away.  
  
"Keh. 250 yen? That's it? You're not worth my time. Let's go Miroku. You're in for a pounding." Inu yasha laughed.  
  
"Wait! What about 300 yen?" Inu yasha kept walking. "Uh... uh... 400?" Inu yasha stopped walking.  
  
"Keep going."  
  
"500?" Ayame said quietly.  
  
"600." Inu yasha said. Ayame hesitated.  
  
"550."  
  
"575." Inu yasha countered.  
  
"Deal!" He turned around and faced Ayame with a large mischievous smile. She could almost smell the satisfaction of winning a large enough sum of money. Tea tugged on Ayame's sleeve urgently. "What?!" Ayame replied irritably.  
  
"You know we don't have that much money! What if he wins?! That's three times the amount we agreed to pay! What if the other two want that much?" Tea cried out softly.  
  
"They won't want that much. Hell, I bet they'd do it for 50 yen." She replied. Ayame turned to face Inu yasha once more. Her arm extended out in front of her, obviously hoping to extract a promise from him "You promise to keep trying to get her to go out with you until she does go out with a guy?"  
  
"Yeah yeah yeah. Who're the other guys? Who's the chick?" Inu yasha answered. His attitude suggested he was less than interested, it was apparent he was in it for the money and only the money... and possibly a little extra. Rumors had it that he was a player, yet no one was able to prove it. They were all too afraid of him.  
  
"Hojo and Kouga are the ones you'll be competing against. Kagome is our friend. Kagome Higurashi." With that said he turned on his heel and walked away. The sky was a dark navy blue by now, but his grin glowed with brilliance. Miroku followed at his heels.  
  
Inu yasha heard of her before. He'd seen her before. He had smelled her before. He had even dreamt and fantasized of her before. She was what every guy who had feeling below the waist wanted. Yet she was untouchable. She was rumored to be very prude; something that Inu yasha was not used to. 'Oh she'll be a challenge all right, but so worth it when I break her.'  
  
"Hey, Inu," Inu yasha cringed at the name and scowled in disapproval. "How do you plan on going about this? You two are total opposites." Miroku commented.  
  
"They say opposites attract, don't they?"  
  
"Who does?" Miroku asked. Inu yasha waited for the red car to pass by before answering. Without looking he walked across the street.  
  
"I dunno. It's some American saying." Inu yasha replied.  
The telephone in the Higurashi household rang three times before Kagome's brother, Souta, answered. He ran up the stairs with the receiver and turned on the hall lights as he approached Kagome's room. He knocked three times before Kagome pulled the door open. She was severely irritated from before, but was even more so now because she was interrupted from her studies.  
  
"What do you WANT Souta!" She yelled. Souta frowned deeply and shoved the phone into her hand and walked away talking to himself loudly.  
  
"Oh! Is the phone for me dear brother? Why yes my oh so kind sister! Why thank you lovable brother. You're very welcome my sincere, thoughtful, generous, tedious, annoying, cranky sister of mine!" Kagome threw a pillow at him. The impact made him trip and fall face first to the wooden floor below. She slammed the door shut before he could protest.  
  
"Hello?" Kagome put the phone to her ear before sitting down back at her desk. She half-listened and half-studied. Sango was on the line, obviously upset about something. Yet she wouldn't say what. Kagome gave up trying to study and instead gave Sango her full, undivided, attention. "Sango? Wait a sec, why are you so upset?"  
  
"I can't tell you why, Kag. But please just hear me out for a sec. Someone you know is going to betray your trust soon. I can't tell you more than that."  
  
"Why? Who would do something like that? Why would they do something like that? It isn't Kikyou is it? I mean, I know she doesn't like me but-" Sango cut her off.  
  
"No, it's not Kikyou. I can't tell you anything more than this, though. I just want you to be careful, okay? Please?" Sango pleaded.  
  
"Sure, but why can't you tell me more?" She questioned.  
  
"Because I can't. I'll... ugh... something will... I don't know anything else. I overheard some people talking and they said someone had a plot against you or was going to do something to you. I couldn't catch anything else because they found me out." Sango paused to swallow the large lump in her throat all the while struggling and fighting within herself to do the right thing, yet she cared for Kagome so much that she just couldn't risk their friendship. It meant too much to her. Inwardly Sango begged for forgiveness. "Just please. Be careful, okay? Be wary of who you talk to, all right? Listen, I got to go. Mom wants me to clean up dinner. Talk to you in school tomorrow. Ja!" Sango hung up the phone without a moment's hesitation.   
  
"Well that was weird." Kagome though. She pressed the off button before continuing with her studies. "I need to get this over with!" She exclaimed out loud.  
  
Five minutes passed by before her peace and quiet was disturbed once more. A loud clank was heard to her right, near the window. She dismissed it immediately; thinking it was a branch from the tree outside or her annoying brother out in the hallway purposely trying to annoy her. She looked at the clock and noticed the time. "11:30. Souta wouldn't be up this late." A moment later she heard the same loud clank. It was definitely from the window.   
  
Kagome heaved a giant sigh and unlocked the window then opened it. She just barely moved out of the way as a rock soared past her head and on to her floor.  
  
"HEY! WATCH IT!" She screamed out.  
  
"Sorry!" A male voice replied. Kagome shook her head in confusion. 'I know I heard a guy's voice... but I don't anyone anywhere.' She thought. "Who's out there?" She asked warily.  
  
"A friend." Kagome perked her head up. It sounded strangely familiar.  
  
"Whose?"  
  
"Yours. Can I come up?"  
  
"Can you... can you come up?! What are you? Some kind of pervert?!" Kagome asked indignantly.  
  
"Naw, just an admirer without good intentions." He laughed. Kagome smiled at his witty personality.  
  
"Where are you? I can't see you." She replied.  
  
"I know, and I intend to stay that way until you let me come up."  
  
"What if I don't want you to come up?"  
  
"Well then that's just a big problem now isn't it?" The tone of his voice was flirtatious. It frightened Kagome a little.  
  
"Yes. Yes it is. Well I'm not letting you up here until I see who my perverted admirer is." Kagome spat back. Kagome though that being flirty and twirling hair and batting her eyelashes was a waste of time. She had flirted with a guy before but that led to disastrous results, she vowed never to do so again. Being rude and distant was the only way to protect herself.  
  
"Alright then. But you have to promise me now!" The voice replied.  
  
"Just come into the light!" Kagome said. She was beginning to get on the irritated side. A figure slowly walked into the light shinning from Kagome's bedroom window. He had dark hair and was looking straight at her with a grin plastered across his face. Kagome groaned with disgust. He continued grinning despite the look of loathing she was giving him.  
  
"You going to let me up now, Kagome?" He asked. Without replying she closed her window, locked it, and pulled her shade down. She could hear him protesting but she didn't give a damn. 'Why today? Why ever?' she screamed mentally. 'Why does KOUGA, of all people...erm...things...have to sneak out to my house in the middle of the night? Now I'll never get to sleep!'  
  
Kagome turned on her computer resolutely and signed in to her instant messaging program. She was relieved to see that Ayame was still online. 'You will not believe what is happening, Ayame.' She typed. 'Kouga is outside my house. He wanted to come inside!'  
  
'So why don't you let him?' Ayame answered.  
  
'So he can touch me again? Ewww, no!'  
So what does everyone think so far? I won't post the next chapter until I get some review!!! Some lime (not lemon... not just yet) should be coming soon! So get those reviews in!! 


	4. Bumped Into Heaven

Title: Take Me for Who I Am  
Author: btRkun  
Chapter: 3 - Bumped Into Heaven  
Summary:  
Kagome turned on her computer resolutely and signed in to her instant messaging program. She was relieved to see that Ayame was still online. 'You will not believe what is happening, Ayame.' She typed. 'Kouga is outside my house. He wanted to come inside!'  
  
'So why don't you let him?' Ayame answered.  
  
'So he can touch me again? Ewww, no!' Kagome replied.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Kagome realized immediately what she had done. But what was done was done. How could she fix it though? She had never told anyone about the night that she... 'Whatever. That was so long ago. I'm so over it. Right?' Kagome tried to convince herself. No matter how many times she said it in her mind it always sounded like false hope, an excuse, a way out of feeling the old hurt and lies.  
  
'What do you mean, Kag?' Ayame replied after a moment's hesitation.  
  
'Oh... I'm sorry. Wrong IM window... I was talking about my uncle's friend in the States to my cousin. We were remembering the last time we visited each other. He, um, decided to act like Miroku.' Kagome quickly formulated a white lie to cover up what she had said. Hopefully Ayame would believe it.  
  
'Ooooooooooh! OK, I was confused for a moment. I thought Kouga did something to you. So why don't you let him upstairs?' Kagome paused, contemplating how she should answer.   
  
'#1, it's after midnight. Parents would freak if I brought a boy into the house in the first place let alone at night when they're asleep and we're unattended. #2, I've got my underwear all over the floor. He'd probably pull a Miroku like my uncle's friend. #3, I don't want him to.' Kagome finished typing her answer.   
  
'Haha, OK, Kag. I get it. But he really likes you!'   
  
'Yuh huh, suuuuuuuure. Anyway, I've gotta get back to studying. Talk to ya later!' Kagome signed off hastily, trying to avoid further questions. She knew what would come next. She knew the questions that Ayame would ask. She knew the lies she would have to make in order to not answer her inquires truthfully. 'It's the only way.' She told herself. Kagome looked at her textbook on the table next to her computer. She groaned with disgust. Studying was the last thing she wanted to do. Instead she stood up, took off her shirt and skirt and threw them into the dirty clothesbasket in the corner of the room. She put on her nightgown, turned off the lights and crawled into her bed, sighing comfortably. She wiggled her toes and rubbed her feet together, a hereditary source of comfort that came from her mother's side of the family.  
  
Just as she was about to fall into a deep sleep she heard Kouga's voice yell up to her bedroom. She groaned again and pulled her down comforter up around her head. He yelled again despite the fact her lights were off. He started throwing rocks at her window. 'This is going to be a long night. I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep.' A voice in Kagome's head said.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Kagome felt something itch. It tickled and rubbed and softly rubbed against her nose. She felt something coming, but in her half sleeping state she couldn't quite place what it was. Kagome's nose twitched in anticipation. In her dream someone was tickling her. Someone without a face tickled her sides with his long fingers and she could hear him laughing. It was a kind laugh, a laugh she had never heard before, but his voice was someone's that she knew. Who was it?  
  
"ACHOO!" Kagome woke up abruptly from her dream. She was back in bed laying the opposite direction she went to sleep in. Her hair was disheveled and she nightgown was riding up her hips. Her eyes opened lazily as she remembered where she was. Buyo was on her stomach looking at an ant that crawled on the floor. His tail was whipping back and forth, right across her face.  
  
Sunlight poured into her room. She glanced at her clock be wasn't able to read it because of the sun glare.  
  
"Buyo, get off! You weigh a ton!" Kagome exclaimed while trying to stifle a huge yawn. She stretched her arms high above her head while yawning. Buyo pounced off the bed on to the ant below, but managed to miss and he ended up sliding on the small oval rug. He tumbled and rolled on the floor before coming to a complete stop just before her closet doors. Kagome broke out into a fit of giggles. Her spirits had lifted dramatically compared to the night before.  
  
"Kagome dear, are you well?" Kagome heard her mother's soft voice through the door. It was sweet, welcoming, and motherly, full of worry and compassion.  
  
"Yeah, sure. Why?" Kagome sat up part of the way, her weight was resting on her elbows which were bent to lay on the foot of her bed.   
  
"You missed breakfast. It's almost time to leave for school, you better hurry up, honey." Her mother said. Just then she heard her brother, Souta, yell out a good-bye as he ran out the front door. Kagome bolted up from her bed and picked up her digital clock. It was black. There was no time. She looked at the cord and noticed it was unplugged. Buyo meowed innocently from next to her.  
  
"AHH! I'm late!!! I'm never late!! WHY THIS MORNING OF ALL MORNINGS!" Kagome quickly shoved on a skirt and white blouse since her school uniform was currently dirty. She gave a yelp of surprise when she saw her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was everywhere. She forgot to take her make-up off the night before which resulted in large black circles under her eyes from her mascara and she still had a large imprint from her sheets on her cheek. She hastily washed her face and messily tied her hair up into a low ponytail before grabbing her book bag and running out the door.  
  
It was a sunny day with clouds occasionally drifting in front of the fiery sun. She darted across the shrine and stopped short in front of someone who was sleeping next to the building.   
  
'I nearly killed this guy! Wait a minute...' Kagome panted trying to catch her breath. 'I recognize that long black hair!' She continued in her mind. "Kouga?!" She exclaimed. Kouga woke with a start and stared into her eyes.  
  
"Well don't you look ravishingly sexy this morning, Kagome!" Kagome gave him an 'ugh' of disgust and a look that would send any hopes of having a pleasant conversation into a garbage can. Kouga, however, didn't take the hint. Instead he stood up and towered above her for a moment before leaning down to sniff and nuzzle her neck. She immediately pulled away.  
  
"We're going to be late, Kouga!" She said before running off again. He followed closely behind, just enough to see her backside. A shiver passed down Kagome's spine; she knew where he was looking.   
  
They continued running for a good five minutes before her panting turned into painful wheezes. It wasn't easy running at top speed for five minutes straight. She looked at her watch. 'Five minutes before the first bell... shit, make that four minutes.' Kagome swore at herself. She could see the school in the far distance. She wasn't going to make it. Kouga quickened his pace and started to run at her side. He grinned at her before speeding up again trying to show off how fast he really was. Kagome groaned with resentment. 'How can A guy be so arrogant and full of himself?' She found asking herself.  
  
"Kagome!" Kouga yelled behind. "You should join the girls track team! You run pretty fa-" Kouga suddenly went smashing into the wall that was on Kagome's left side. Kagome stopped running to laugh. She doubled over with laughter. He looked at her with confusion then loathing. Kagome gave him a weird look. She cocked her head trying to ignore the creepy look in his eyes when she noticed another presence. She heard the other person whistle with innocence before grabbing Kagome's bag, which was on the ground, and her wrist. He yanked her forward forcing her run alongside him. She looked up to see whom her savior (from Kouga) and attacker was. Her jaw dropped in amazement. It was none other than the bad boy ('and gorgeous' thought Kagome) Inu yasha.   
  
A grin was plastered on his face, a look of triumph that annoyed Kagome to no end. It was this grin that preoccupied her just long enough to make her trip over a small pile of garbage that had been carelessly left out on the sidewalk. She went flying head first into the pavement, but ended up doing a summersault in the air before landing on her knees and elbows. Her chin lightly grazed the concrete upon impact. Inu yasha looked down at Kagome. His eyes looked her over at stopped at her bottom, which was still high in the air. He realized what he was doing and cleared his throat. He tried to hide a snicker before bending down to help her up by wrapping one arm around her waist and a hand under her arm.  
  
"Ouch! What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Kagome snapped. Inu yasha was taken aback.   
  
"Helping you up baka." He replied cooly.  
  
"Oh..." She paused realizing what she had just done... 'Oh my god, I didn't just do that in front of Inu yasha!! Tell me I didn't! Let this be an awful dream!' "Th...thank you." He grinned again at her. Kagome's face flushed with pure annoyance. 'What the hell is with that grin? Damn... it makes him look so cute!' She shook her head in amazement. Her eyes rested on his shades and red cap. She wondered why he always wore them. 'What does he have to hide? Heh, I bet his eyes are blue.'  
  
A moment later the first bell rang. Kagome had only five minutes left to get to the school before the gates were locked. She freaked and snatched her bag out of his hand before sprinting. The school was in sight. Inu yasha started sprinting as well, not out of fear of being late for school, but he sprinted to just be near her. He still had a bet to win after all. He grinned inwardly knowing that he was attracted to her, but physically only. 'This is going to be fun.' A voice in his head had said.  
  
Within minutes Kagome had made it to her classroom breathing heavily. Her friends gathered around her, all except Sango. And Sango was the one person Kagome wanted to talk to, but knew she couldn't talk to in front of so many other people. Something was bothering her dear friend, and Kagome wanted to know what. They all talked for a few minutes. Miroku, however, didn't talk. He was too busy looking at the new girl in the class. A few minutes later the professor walked into the classroom holding a large stack of papers. He smiled kindly and announced the history test would take place shortly. Kouga walked in, interrupting the announcement, rubbing his arm with his hand. He looked nothing short of being sour. He glared around and found Kagome. His expression was unreadable, but for some odd reason Kagome couldn't look away from his stare. Their eyes locked; Kouga finally broke the stare by walking to the back of the room to take the last empty seat.   
  
Sometime during the test a piece of paper bounced off Kagome's head and on to her desk. She bit her pencil as she recognized the writing. It was Ayame's. She read the note carefully.  
  
'Tomorrow is Saturday! Wanna do something this weekend? It's a long weekend.' Kagome thought for a moment. She had a bad feeling but quickly dismissed it.   
  
'Sure. What should we do? Who else is going?' Kagome wrote back. She folded the paper and threw it back to Ayame.  
  
'You, Tea, Me, and, Miroku. Sango doesn't want to go.' Ayame replied.  
  
'Why? Where are we going?' Kagome repeated again.  
  
'We were thinking about going to the shore for the weekend. You know, go shopping at the boardwalk, maybe some swimming in the ocean if it's nice enough. Sango is all pissy for some reason.' Ayame bent over in front of her desk to drop the note on Kagome's desk.'  
  
"Do you feel like sharing that note with the rest of the class, Higurashi?" The teacher walked over to Kagome's desk and frowned down upon her. Kagome sweat dropped, while the class giggled.  
  
"No, sir." Kagome's weak voice replied just barely audible.  
  
"Then I suggest you get back to your test before time is up." He walked away. Kagome glanced at the clock shocked. 'NANI? AHHH! Time is almost up! I'm only halfway finished!' Kagome groaned and let her head fall against the desktop. Another note bounced off her head and fell to the floor. It was a different person's handwriting. She reached down to pick it up before unfolding it.  
  
'Hey sugar, want to hang at the BM club tonight? Kouga.' Kagome rolled her eyes and hid the note in her bag. She then went back to her test.  
After the class was over Kouga approached her. His hands were hidden in his pant pockets. The crowd all around him parted allowing him a clear path. He smiled at Kagome.  
  
"Hey, sugar, you up for tonight at the BM?" One of Kagome's black eyebrows rose.  
  
"Sorry Kouga, I've got plans." Kagome replied. Ayame suddenly appeared. She shoved Kagome by the shoulders closer to Kouga. Kagome almost ran into Kouga.  
  
"That's okay, Kag! If you want to go to the BM with Kouga then by all means! Go ahead! You can catch up with us tomorrow!" Ayame said nodding her head and rubbing her hands together. She cackled like a witch.  
  
"Oh man, what was with that laugh, Ayame? That was creepy! Come on Kagome, how do you plan on getting to the shore tomorrow? Miroku is the only one with a car!" Ayame growled at Tea for ruining her plans. Kagome laughed nervously at their argument. Kouga placed his hand on Kagome's shoulder as if he was resolving or confirming their plans for the evening.  
  
"Sorry, Kouga. I'm uh..." Kagome cleared her throat trying to think of a way out. She wouldn't get caught in his trap. Not again anyway. "I'm uh... not allowed to date." Kouga shrugged his shoulders like he didn't care.  
  
"So we'll go as friends. And if by chance I take you back to my place afterwards then so be it!" Kagome rolled his eyes.  
  
"Keh." Everyone turned to his or her right to face the source of the noise. It was Inu yasha. "There is no way a girl like Kagome would do anything like that. Not with an animal like you anyway." Inu yasha continued. "She'd be traumatized for life!" He laughed at Kouga's flushed and embarrassed face.  
  
"Look who's talking." Inu yasha's laugh faltered. They glared daggers at each other. Kagome, who was trapped between the two quarreling guys, inched away to catch up with Sango who had just walked by. Once she was within a safe distance she called out to Miroku, who was trying to quell the fighting.   
  
"Miroku! Give me a call when you get home from school to let me know when we're all leaving!" With that Kagome sprinted down the hallway and started walking again once she was beside Sango. They started talking and left the five others staring after them. Kouga was the first to speak.  
  
"Damn you, you bastard! She was just about to say yes until you had to come. Don't tell me you're in on this too!" Inu yasha snorted.  
  
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Fresh ass and 575 yen to start out with. What can be better?"  
  
"At least I actually want the girl and not just for money." Kouga growled.  
  
"Yeah, you want her in bed. I don't blame you." Inu yasha walked away towards the nearest school exist. "Yo, Miroku. Come 'ere. I need to ask you something." Miroku quickly followed. Kouga slammed his fist against the wall then walked away in the opposite direction. Tea and Ayame looked at each other.  
  
"That..." Tea paused. "Went well. Thank the stars we didn't have Hojo here as well."  
  
"Hey you two, have you seen Higurashi?" A male voice rang out. He was holding a small bouquet of flowers.   
  
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Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it was a little uneventful at times, but I can promise the next chapter will be better. I have a good scene in mind *rubs hands together evilly* bua hahahahahaha!  
  
Preview Summary: Chapter 4 will open up with Miroku and Inu yasha talking about something in secret. Then the rest of the chapter will deal with Kagome, Ayame, Tea, and Miroku at the shore. They're staying at a bed and breakfast and on their first night upon arrival they decide to go see what's on the boardwalk. Well, let's just say the crowd is a little thick and Kagome just so happens to get separated from everyone else, and then she meets a certain someone(s)...  
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Reviews: OOH!! Reviews!! THANKIES!! Here are a few replies to those who were very kind in answering! Should I be evil and not update until I get somewhere around 25 reviews? Bua hahahahaha!  
Ana: I haven't decided whether Kikyou should have a larger role or not. She will have a scene, maybe two, in later chapters. I have ideas for a larger role then again I also have ideas for a smaller role for her. Should I make her have a larger part?  
  
Jack: I know what you mean, lol ^^; My friends would do this to me as a joke, that's why I got the idea.  
  
GothicElf: 10 Things I Hate About You is probably one of my most favorite movies. I was inspired to write this fanfic after watching the movie, however there are quite a few differences between this story and the movie. Most of which you will read later on.  
  
Yodey: I like to write fluff in my stories, but I've noticed in the past that a LOT of people don't like lots of fluff and don't seem to review or like the story as much when there is fluff. That's why I'm leaving out a lot of fluff this time, its kind of hard. I know this story isn't totally original, but what is original anymore? Sure there will be a story every once and a while with a totally original plot but that doesn't come around all that often anymore right?  
  
Hime-Chan: Thank you very much! ^.^ I've read stories where Inu yasha has the huge attitude, but I've never read one where Kagome has an attitude. I decided to flip flop it around and have her be a little temperamental.   
  
scerpixy5: Thanks! Kagome is paranoid about something that has happened to her in the past. I can't reveal what it is yet but I have been giving subtle and not so subtle hints in the previous chapters. You'll have to keep reading if you want to find out more!  
  
Soudesuka-Shurikens: Ha ha, is that so? Well I hope you won't be disappointed! Some lime will come in the next chapter, if not then the chapter after that. The actual lemon might not happen for a couple chapters.  
  
tsunami-chan: I know what you mean! Inu? A player?! HA! Lol, but it's my story so I can make him one if I want to! So he is one! Or is he? Or could it be someone else? o.ô dum dum duuuuuuum!  
  
Houtsuma-san: grrr!! I hate Kouga too!! But then I love him!! I dunno, it's a love/hate relationship, but I decided to make him the bad guy in this story ^.~ I'll never let Kagome and Kouga be together! NEVER!! 


	5. Rain Washes the Pain Away

Title: Take Me for Who I Am  
Author: btRkun  
Chapter: 4 - Rain Washes the Pain Away  
Author's Notes: OOOH!! Long chapter this time! Other chapters were around five pages. This chapter is twelve! YAY! ANYWAY, there's a little lime in this chapter... very little. Not much, really. The real lemon will be in the next chapter or the chapter after that. And no... Hojo does not have much a role in this story ^^; Gomen!  
Summary:  
  
"Damn you, you bastard! She was just about to say yes until you had to come. Don't tell me you're in on this too!" Inu yasha snorted.  
  
"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? Fresh ass and 575 yen to start out with. What can be better?"  
  
"At least I actually want the girl and not just for money." Kouga growled.  
  
"Yeah, you want her in bed. I don't blame you." Inu yasha walked away towards the nearest school exist. "Yo, Miroku. Come 'ere. I need to ask you something." Miroku quickly followed. Kouga slammed his fist against the wall then walked away in the opposite direction. Tea and Ayame looked at each other.  
  
"That..." Tea paused. "Went well. Thank the stars we didn't have Hojo here as well."  
  
"Hey you two, have you seen Higurashi?" A male voice rang out. He was holding a small bouquet of flowers.  
  
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Two lone figures walked down the side of the road whispering to each other. The sun was still high in the sky and children were playing all around them. People were shopping and talking and none of them paid any attention to the two friends. One, with black hair, was very animated when speaking; the other was mainly listening. Finally, the quiet one interrupted the black haired one.  
  
"So what's this I heard about the shore? Is Kagome going?" Inu yasha asked innocently. He looked at Miroku intently.  
  
"Oh yeah! I was going to tell you all about that! I have an idea to get Kagome alone with you. Ya know, just long enough for you both to get to know each other and then you can ask her out!" Miroku stopped walking and pulled Inu yasha to the side. Inu yasha swore as his protest.  
  
"What the hell was that for?!" Inu yasha asked angrily. Miroku didn't cower like normal people would have. Instead his eyes sparkled with mischief.  
  
"I don't want anyone to hear." He said quietly. Inu yasha's eyebrow rose in confusion. "As I said. I have a plan to get you and Kagome alone."  
  
"We'd win then, right? I'm all ears!" Inu yasha said.  
  
"Well, not quite. This plan is to get you two alone, not set you guys up on a date. It would be without her knowledge, and in that case she'd deny it was a date. Listen, we're going to the shore in about two hours. We're staying at the Ogling Side Bed and Breakfast for the weekend," Miroku paused, waiting for it to sink in. "and you're going, whether you like it or not!" Miroku added as an afterthought.   
  
"Well, glad I don't have plans." Inu yasha replied sarcastically. He rolled his eyes thinking of the plans he'd have to cancel on short notice.  
  
"I'll suggest we'll all go to the boardwalk for a couple hours. You, of course, won't be anywhere in sight. No one except you, me, and later on Kagome, will know you're at the shore. I know, from past experience, that the boardwalk is a mad house on Friday nights. I'll think of a way to get Kagome by herself and then somehow lose her in the crowd." Inu yasha smiled and nodded his head. He liked the plan so far.  
  
"Okay, but how will I know where to find her?" Inu yasha asked.  
  
"Kagome loves the beach. She always has and always will love the beach. When she can't find us she'll most likely go back to the bed and breakfast, which you know is across the street from the beach. She'll probably walk along the beach to the inn. Just be sure you're near there. We'll try to lose her sometime around seven, sound good? Just be warned, Inu yasha...she's defensive and very hard to reach when it comes to guys." Inu yasha grinned and completely ignored his last comment.  
  
"Hell yeah!" His grin turned into a full-fledged toothy grin. He spun around quickly, eager to get home to cancel plans and pack for the weekend. He, however, had spun into a solid object. With a large "oomph!" and a sickening crack he ran into a metal street lamp. He slid down the pole slowly, pain traveled up and down his body. Miroku fell over laughing.  
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The car ride was long and dull. There wasn't anything to do except talk about what they would do during the weekend. Kagome, along with her friends, was very excited and eager to do something, like going swimming, right away. Miroku, however, didn't "feel like swimming when the tide was high".  
  
"Come on Miroku! Stop being a wimp! We're at the shore! We should be swimming!" Kagome pleaded.  
  
"Sorry, Kag! It's not a good idea! The tide will be high and I hear there's a strong current at the beach we'll be near." Miroku lied.  
  
"Awe! Come on! Since when have you been this cautious?" Tea whined. Miroku covered his ears. They had been badgering him about not going to the beach for the last half-hour.  
  
"Why don't we just do that tomorrow? It's supposed to be even nicer. We can do something else tonight! How about the boardwalk?" Miroku suggested. At once all three girls erupted with excitement. They talked about what they would buy, how much money they could spend, what clothes they should wear etc. They completely forgot about the poor boy next to them. He rubbed his temples in annoyance. "I should never have said anything." He groaned. Tea, Kagome, and Ayame laughed.  
  
"We should have invited Hojo. He seemed like he wanted to come, too. At least he would give Miroku some testosterone company." They all laughed.   
  
"Naw! This is an estrogen trip! No testosterone allowed!" Kagome giggled. Miroku pretended to look offended.  
  
"How dare you! Me? A woman? Never!" He flopped his hand around animatedly. "By the way, girls, does the color purple look pretty on me?" He said with a lisp. He pretended to mock a gay man. Tea rolled her eyes.  
  
"Quit it, Miroku! Gay guys are so much fun! How can you make fun of them?" Tea hit him playfully. Miroku laughed. He turned to face the care next to his and drooled like a baby. Kagome knew what that meant. Without even looking she pinched his knees hard.  
  
"OUCH!" He yelled out. Ayame, curious as ever, pressed her face to the window in order to see what made Miroku drool. She wasn't in the least bit surprised to see a rather pretty blonde in a red low-neck tank top.  
  
Miroku pulled into the driveway of a very large house. It could have easily been a small mansion. A large parking lot was to the right of the bed and breakfast. Miroku pulled into a spot. Everyone got out of the car and walked into the bed and breakfast to the lobby. Once they had gotten the keys to their two rooms (much to Miroku's displeasure) they deposited their belongings onto their beds. They all changed clothes and met just outside the lobby.   
  
Kagome brought her small purse where she kept all of her money and personal belongings she never left without. Included in her purse was a can of pepper spray... just in case. They all walked on the sidewalk just next to the beach. Kagome stared at the small waves in the ocean longingly. She wore a white sleeveless sundress that stopped three inches above her knees. The dress flowed loosely around her legs. Kagome decided to wear this dress because it was a warm day and because there wasn't a breeze or cloud in sight.  
  
Ayame saw Kagome's strong desire to be near the ocean. She tried to comfort her.  
  
"Kagome. When we go back to the hotel I'll walk with you on the beach, okay?" Ayame smiled kindly. Kagome's face brightened up immediately. She grabbed on to Tea and Ayame's wrists and dragged them into the crowd. Miroku smiled and chased after them not wanting his plan to backfire.  
  
Within a couple of hours Kagome, Tea, and Ayame had visited at least half of the shops on the boardwalk. Miroku had given up trying to keep up with them. He sat down on a nearby bench when they went into another shop. Something cold seeped through his pants.  
  
"AHH! Shit! What is this?!" He jumped up in surprise and looked down at the bench. Strawberry ice cream dripped from the bench on to the sand-covered boardwalk. Kagome came out of the shop first and burst out laughing. Miroku looked at her angrily.   
  
"What the hell did you do, Miroku?" Tea walked out of the store holding her third shopping bag. Kagome grabbed on to her stomach trying to ease the stitch in her side. Miroku rolled his eyes.  
  
"Awe, did little Miroku have a little accident?" Tea said in a child's voice. Kagome laughed harder. Ayame walked out holding even more bags than Tea.  
  
"Come on, Miroku. Stop playing around." Miroku looked at her defensively. He walked towards the girl in the direction of a clothing shop right behind them. He slowed down as he walked past Tea and Kagome.  
  
"AHH! PERVERT!' Kagome turned around and slapped Miroku in the face then stomped off rather pissed down the boardwalk." Tea and Ayame shook their heads in a disbelieving way. Miroku smiled sheepishly and continued on to the shop.  
  
An hour and a half later the group were found sitting on a bench (ice cream free of course... Miroku double-checked) talking excitedly. The sun was beginning to set. The sky had begun to turn orange and cast a light glow all over everything. The jingle of a bell could be heard in the distance. Miroku looked at his watch. 'Six o'clock... we have to get rid of her soon.'  
  
"Oh man, and then he said he would do anything to get her! I was shocked!" Ayame said.  
  
"Who said that? Get at whom?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Just someone." Ayame's eyes glinted.  
  
"OOOH! Look! Someone is putting a toucan in the window of that exotic pet shop! Let's go see it!" Tea stood up immediately and squealed with excitement.  
  
"No way! Birds are stinky, noisy, and a pain in the ass." Kagome said rather snottily.   
  
"You just don't like them because one bit your nose when you were young." Ayame rolled her eyes. She continued, "Anyway, I want to go see it. You up for it, Miroku?" The corner of Miroku's mouth curled upwards into a large mischievous grin.  
  
"You bet!" Tea jumped while clapping even more excitedly. "But I want some ice cream. There's a cart coming." He rubbed his hands together, but not for warmth.  
  
"Who is going to get it? The shop doesn't allow food." Kagome said. Kagome had her back turned toward her friends. When she turned around she fell to the floor in fright.  
  
"Thanks for volunteering, Kag." Ayame said devilishly.   
  
"I...I volunteered? When?" All three friends towered above her, all of them had shadows over their faces creating an eerie atmosphere.  
  
"You just did. Truuuuuuuuust me!" Tea cackled.  
  
"B...B...But..."Kagome stammered.  
  
"Thank you Kagome!" Miroku, Tea, and Ayame dropped a few paper bills and coins to the ground next to Kagome. They turned and walked into the shop cackling like witches. A shiver ran down Kagome's back.  
  
"Oooooh, they're so in for it!" Kagome laughed out loud. She laughed so loud a few people began to stare at her. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What are you looking at?!" She snapped at a child. The child ran to its mother. "Jeez, some kids these days." Kagome stood in line behind five other people.  
In the shop Miroku tried to think of a way to get rid of Kagome. They were separated now but he still had yet to come up with a reason to drag Tea and Ayame away from the store. He stood in the middle of the store. His hand gripped his chin harshly and his eyebrow twitched, obviously in deep thought.   
  
"Mommy, that man looks funny. Is he having a saysure?" A little boy tugged on his mother's dress. He pointed at Miroku. His mother pushed his pointing finger down and scolded him quietly.  
  
"Honey pie, it's not polite to point. And it's seizure, dear, not saysure. No, I don't think he's having a seizure... at least I hope not." The boy's mother said looking at Miroku. Tea overheard this and sweat dropped. She walked over to Miroku and tugged on his new t-shirt.  
  
"Miroku, what are you doing?" She whispered. "People are staring." Miroku didn't budge. His mouth did open and he began to speak.  
  
"I...think...I think... I need... to go to...the bathroom." Miroku said. Ayame walked over and laughed nervously.  
  
"Don't tell me you're constipated, Miroku. Is that why you look like that?" Ayame whispered in his ear. Miroku quickly turned to face Ayame surprised. He broke out into laughter.  
  
"No, not at all, Ayame. I just need to let Mr. Wee use his..." Tea covered his mouth with his hand before he said any more.  
  
"Sure, Miroku. But do you think you could be a little less descriptive next time? Let's go. I need to find a ladies room." Tea said.  
  
"You too? I have to go like there's no tomorrow." Ayame said. Miroku got what he wanted. 'Like usual.' He added to himself.  
  
"I saw a bathroom sign up the boardwalk a little. We'll be right back, Kagome will wait for us. Besides, she's still in line." Miroku added. Both girls agreed and walked out of the shop and in the opposite direction of Kagome.  
Kagome skillfully held four ice cream cones in her hands. She, somehow, managed to lick hers, a double chocolate chip mint (yum!), cone with her tongue. She sat down on the bench and waited for the others to come out. Five minutes past without any sign of them. Her cone was gone and she held the others over the garbage can next to the bench. It was abnormally warm and humid out at night at six twenty. The cones were almost completely melted.  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes and dropped the cones in the garbage can. "Oops..." She said out loud without regret. She stalked over to the shop and peered inside the main window. Only two people were inside besides the person working the cash register.  
  
"They didn't leave without me, did they?" Kagome wondered. She began to get ticked off. Resolutely she walked inside the shop and towards the front counter.  
  
"Umm...excuse me, sir. But were there three teenagers in here? My age? Two girls and a guy?" Kagome asked.  
  
He laughed before answering. "Yeah, they were in here. The young gentleman looked as if he was about to make a decision that would alter his life forever." He chuckled.  
  
"When did they leave?" Kagome asked getting even more peeved by the second. She clenched her teeth.  
  
"Almost fifteen minutes ago, I think. I wasn't paying attention." Kagome growled and smashed her fist against the table.  
  
"How could they just leave me here?!" She turned around and looked around the shop for something. She found a plastic container and slammed it on the counter. She paid for it and walked out to the beach in her bare feet. In one hand was the plastic container. Her other hand held her shoes. She scooped up a large amount of sand in the container and walked down the beach toward the bed and breakfast mumbling to herself.  
"Kagome is going to be so pissed at us! We can't just stand here and wait for Miroku to take a crap!" Tea said.  
  
"Yeah, I agree. We need to get back to her. Besides, I'm hungry." Ayame replied. She slammed her fist on the men's room door and yelled out, "MIROKU! Tea and I are going back to meet Kagome! She's probably pissed! We've been gone a half hour!" Tea and Ayame heard someone fall from inside the bathroom. They stopped and heard Miroku swear before opening the bathroom door. He was breathing heavily and had toilet paper stuck to his foot.  
  
"Why are you leaving?" He said between pants.   
  
"Didn't you hear us?" Ayame replied.  
  
"No, not really. It's kind of hard to hear from inside a stall." Miroku answered. His breathing wasn't as labored this time. 'I have to stall! Gotta keep them away from there for now!' He exclaimed in his head.  
  
"Kagome's probably pissed. All of our cones probably have melted by now. Let's go!" Tea said angrily. She turned around and started walking.  
  
"Wait! Umm...umm," Miroku looked around frantically. "Umm...." Tea and Ayame turned around and looked at him.   
  
"What? Miroku... what is it?" Ayame crossed her arms.  
  
"It's like he's trying to keep us away from her." Tea snorted. Miroku's face paled slightly.  
  
"No! You wouldn't! Miroku you sneaky pervert!" Ayame cried out angrily. Miroku flinched. "Inu yasha is around, isn't he?"  
  
"No! We agreed not to bring Hojo, Kouga, OR Inu yasha to the shore... why would I, of all people, bring him here? Of all places?! It's not like I wanted to win or anything. I would never dream of bringing Inu yasha here. It's not like I would do that without telling you two or anything." Miroku said quickly.  
  
"Well, ladies and gentlemen. That confirms it. C'mon, Tea!" Ayame turned around and ran off to find Kagome. Tea followed.   
  
"WAIT!" Miroku called after them. They didn't stop. "Crap." He ran after them picking up speed with every second.  
  
A few moments later all three arrived in front of the exotic pet store. Kagome was no where to be seen. Miroku heaved a giant sigh of relief. Tea hit him angrily in the chest.  
  
"You dirty cheat! Jerk! Prick!" Miroku smiled weakly.  
  
"All's fair in the game of love and war." He replied. Ayame rolled her eyes.  
  
"That was corny and low, Miroku. Even for you." Miroku grimaced at Ayame's comment. The disappointment stung. "Well, Tea, let's split up and look for her. Obviously Miroku won't be of much help."  
Kagome calmed down a little with the cool breeze that blew through her hair. 'I don't remember there being any wind before.' Kagome thought. She continued to walk down the beach. Wet sand squished between her toes. Cool salt water washed up against her ankles. Whenever Kagome was near the ocean, or whenever it rained, she felt strangely calm and free.   
  
Kagome pulled her watch out of her purse to check the time. 'Six forty-five, huh? Who knew we walked this far from the bed and breakfast?' Kagome thought. She put her watch back and kept walking. The ocean water licked her ankles. She giggled at the light feeling the water gave her. She shivered a little. The sky was turning a rosy red, orange, yellow, and even a soft shade of violet could be seen.   
  
She smiled and looked ahead of her, genuinely content for the first time in a long while. She walked up a small hill and was surprised at what she saw. She furrowed her eyebrows and even grinned a little, but the scowled at herself for grinning, or caring. It was Inu yasha. He was standing up with his chin raised towards the sky. He had on fatigue pants and a t-shirt. As usual he had his shades and cap on. Kagome quickened her pace while looking up in the sky to see what he was looking at. When she got within ten feet she called out his name.  
  
"Inu yasha!" She said. He turned his head and gazed at her. Kagome walked right up to him in greeting.  
  
"Yo. What brings you here, Kag?" Kagome's eyebrow twitched.  
  
"Please don't call me that, Inu yasha. Only my close friends call me that." She replied. She quickly regretted it. He rolled his eyes. 'Damn, she's moody.' Inu yasha thought. "S...Sorry, Inu yasha." He smiled down at her. "What are you doing here?" She asked sheepishly.  
  
Inu yasha bent down to pick up a clamshell, clearly choosing not to answer her question. Kagome was just about to ask again when he decided to say something. His eyes never left the multicolored clamshell.   
  
"It's amazing how beautiful these shells are. It's even more amazing to think little slimy embryo looking creatures made the shells look that way." Kagome looked at him puzzled.  
  
"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Kagome chuckled. Inu yasha handed her the shell and smiled.  
  
"Got no idea. Some philosophical thing. Want to go for a walk?" Inu yasha said. His smile faltered and soon switched to a grin. Kagome couldn't help but feel compelled to agree. Everything she had gone against, everything she tried to protect herself against, was all being completely washed away by the mysterious man behind the shades. Kagome looked at him quizzically.  
  
"Sure... why not?" Kagome's mouth acted on it's own. She immediately regretted it. Her mind yelled at her for feeling anything towards another guy. And yet...  
  
"Good. There's an ice cream cart just up that way. Let's go get some." Kagome groaned.  
  
"Let's not, hahaha." I already had ice cream... just before my friends ditched me that is." She rolled her eyes. Inu yasha chuckled inwardly.   
  
"How about some instant noodles?" Inu yasha said. He was hungry. They had started walking against the wind. Kagome looked at the bed and breakfast they were beginning to pass.  
  
"Now? It's like eighty five degrees!" Kagome said laughing.  
  
"I'm hungry!" he replied defensively. Kagome giggled.  
  
"Okay, but I'm getting a smoothie." She silenced herself for a moment and glanced up at him. She tried looking at him in the eyes but was unable to do so.   
  
Inu yasha felt her gaze upon him. He let her look for a few seconds before looking back at her. He found warmth, purity, fear, and a closed door. Kagome turned away embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed.  
  
"Why...uh...why are you out here? It's not a common place for high school kids to go while on vacation." Kagome said offhand. Inu yasha grinned.  
  
"Because I heard you would be here." Inu yasha replied. Kagome was taken aback. She began to get defensive.  
  
"You chased me out here? You're a stalker?" Kagome said half joking.  
  
"Not a stalker, just interested." Inu yasha said. Kagome went silent. She was afraid to open her mouth. 'Kagome, you idiot. You chase every guy away. You'll never get over what happened if you chase him away. Fuck, he's interested in you and you're getting ready to yell at him.' Kagome mentally yelled at herself.  
  
"Let's just get a got dog from the stand up on the boardwalk right there, Inu yasha. I don't feel like going out of the way for ramen." Inu yasha smiled and agreed. Inu yasha and Kagome walked up to the cart and paid for their hot dogs (Inu yasha bought three for himself much to Kagome's' amazement). Then they continued to walk down the beach in silence; the wind began to pick up even more.  
  
'Why can't I stop looking at him?' Kagome wondered. She noticed him licking his lips after finished his second hot dog. He sucked on his fingers before reaching her his third. 'Just like a little boy at an amusement park.' Kagome chuckled. She took the final bite of her own hot dog and wiped her mouth with one of the napkins in her hand. She kept on watching Inu yasha from the corner of her eye.  
  
"These hot dogs are good, aren't they, Kag?" Kagome puffed up like a balloon and was just about to retort when she saw Inu yasha open his mouth. He had unusually long fang teeth. 'Is that normal?' Kagome asked herself. He placed the hot dog in his mouth when Kagome was just about to ask about his teeth. Then "BAM"! A red, hard, bouncy, beach ball came flying out of nowhere and landed on the back of Inu yasha's head. With a yelp of surprise Inu yasha went flying face first into the sand. He face landed on his hot dog. He looked up at Kagome. She stood there with wide eyes not knowing what to do, not knowing how to react. So she laughed. And she laughed and laughed and laughed until she couldn't breathe.   
  
"Sorry mister!" The same little boy Kagome had snapped at earlier came running towards Inu yasha. He grabbed his ball and stared at Kagome then ran off. Kagome kneeled down and helped Inu yasha up by grabbing under his arm. He growled deeply in his throat, obviously angry, but allowed Kagome to help him up. Once standing up Kagome grabbed another napkin and started wiping the ketchup and mustard from his face. He pulled away when she tried to grab his shades.   
  
Kagome got angry and grabbed his chin roughly to face her. She continued to wipe the ketchup off. She purposely slowed down the wiping process when she got to his lips. She furrowed her brows perplexed when he made no objection at the obvious sign of affection. He did, however, grab her other wrist as it sneakily made its way up to his shades.  
  
"Don't." He said plainly.  
  
"Why? What are you trying to hide? Why are your fang teeth so abnormally large?" Kagome asked softly. They stood there like that for a few moments. Neither of them said anything. Clouds rolled in covering the sun suddenly. A small roll of thunder was heard in the distance. Inu yasha was annoyed at the sudden storm. 'She'll want to go in now.' He thought.  
  
Instead, Kagome retrieved her hand, smiled, and giggled gleefully. "A storm! Perfect!" She said happily. She twirled around in circles before grabbing on to Inu yasha's hand and dragging him further down the beach at a full run. Another roll of thunder was heard, this time louder. They continued to run until rain started to spill from the clouds and the shops on the boardwalk were out of sight. Civilization and people were out of sight. Kagome finally stopped running and twirled around in the rain again, her white dress becoming saturated.  
  
'What the hell is she doing?' Inu yasha thought. He breathed heavily from the sudden outburst and desire to run.  
  
"What was that for? What are you doing?" Inu yasha grabbed on to Kagome's shoulders and looked deep in her eyes. He didn't find what he found earlier, instead he found desire, passion, dear, solace, and fire, all of which burned with ferocity.  
  
"I love the rain, Inu yasha. I feel... there's a sense of freedom when I'm in the rain or near the ocean." She smiled and closed her eyes. "It's my escape."  
  
"From what?" Kagome's smile didn't falter in the least at his question.  
  
"Life. Pressure from school. Pressure from social status. Freedom from my past." Kagome answered. Inu yasha looked at her strangely.  
  
'I heard this girl was a cold hearted, prude, bitch. But she's not. She's deep. Maybe she would understand.' Inu yasha thought. 'No. No one except Miroku would understand how I feel, let alone a silly little girl.' He released Kagome's shoulders and smiled sweetly at her.  
  
Giggling, Kagome grabbed on to his hands and began twirling again, but this time she twirled alongside him. 'Why do I feel so giddy?' Kagome asked herself as she twirled. She heard Inu yasha laugh and all thoughts, excuses, and reasons were completely washed away.  
  
They stopped twirling and Kagome panted from overexerting herself. She walked a few paces away from Inu yasha held out her arms parallel to the ground and tilted her face upwards. 'She looks like she's flying.' Inu yasha thought. His smile faded and he looked at her thoughtfully and hungrily. 'Could I be wrong about her?'  
  
Kagome stuck out her tongue to taste the rain not knowing the effect on Inu yasha's body it would have. Inu yasha stared at her and admired her childish antics. Her body however, his eyes told him, was that of a woman. He stared at her. The pouring rain had drenched her dress until it clung to her shapely figure everywhere. He could see the strapless bra she wore and he noticed the hard erect nipples that stuck out from under her dress. He felt himself growing heavy and warm in the southern hemisphere. 'Damn it. Stop thinking like that! She'll notice! Your pants are like her dress right now, idiot!' Inu yasha scolded at himself, but he couldn't manage to get his eyes to turn away.  
  
Kagome stopped, crossed her arms across her chest and walked back to him. 'I'm going to find out what he's hiding, no matter what!' Kagome thought. Their eyes locked as she slowly walked over. She stopped right in front of him and took his shades off without warning.   
  
Inu yasha was shocked. He made a grab for his shades, but to no avail. He turned around hiding himself from her prying eyes once he had failed to acquire his glasses.  
  
"Look at me, Inu yasha." Kagome commanded. She knew she had seen a glimpse of the most beautiful and enchanting amber eyes she had ever seen.  
  
"No." Inu yasha replied harshly.  
  
"Why? Why are you hiding? What are you hiding?" She asked him quietly. Tension was in the air, along with bright flashes of lightning and loud claps of thunder.  
  
"Give me my shades back, Kag." Inu yasha warned. 'If he has the nerve to call me that name then he must not be too angry.' Thought Kagome.  
  
"Why don't you trust me, Yash?" Kagome asked. She took a step forward. Inu yasha smiled at the cute pet name she had given him.  
  
"You'll run away, Kag. I'm warning you. You won't like what you see." He said. "No one ever does." He added quietly.  
  
"You're a yokai...aren't you?" Kagome asked quietly. 'I should be scared right now. I should be frightened out of my mind to allow myself to be alone with a yokai. They have a reputation of being ferocious.' Kagome tried to reason with herself. It was an internal battle. She wanted to run away like she had always done. Him being a yokai was just another reason for her to do so. 'But why should I?' Another voice kept saying. 'Why?'  
  
"No." He answered quietly. "Not a yokai. A hanyou." He started walking away from Kagome without another word.  
  
"Where are you going, Yash?" Kagome yelled over another roll of thunder. Inu yasha stopped walking and turned sideways so he could look at her. She was walking towards him solidly. There was no fear. He lowered his head to look at her straight in the eyes when she walked right in front of him. 'Those eyes...' Kagome thought. 'They hold a lot of pain. They're so beautiful.'  
  
Inu yasha didn't blink. He didn't want her sympathy, but like before, he wasn't able to turn away.  
  
"Why don't you run scared?" He asked her scathingly.  
  
"I've been scared every day of my life since eighth grade, Yash. For the first time in a long time... I'm not scared." She whispered.  
  
"You should be scared." His voice held pain.  
  
"No," she started. "You're a person. Just like me. You have feelings, just like me. Why be scared of someone that's just like myself? I'd be running away from myself as well as you. I'm sick of running." She said. Inu yasha smiled and didn't make a move to keep Kagome from removing his cap. She took it off slowly and dropped it to the sand. She looked upward and smiled at what she saw. Two of the most adorable silver and pink ears twitched back and forth in all directions.  
  
'Crap. She's gone for good. There's no way she would understand.' Inu yasha thought.  
  
Kagome looked down at her feet for a few seconds before saying, "You were wrong, Yash. I like what I see." She looked back into his eyes and her hands found their way to his face. Each hand held on to a cheek and she lightly pulled his face down to her own as she stood on her toes. Their lips met.  
  
It felt like an eternity when Kagome broke the kiss. Yet, it was only for a brief second that their lips had met. Inu yasha opened his eyes to look at Kagome. Her eyes, however, were still closed. He took full advantage of the situation and leaned down for another kiss. Kagome greedily greeted his kiss with her own.   
  
Inu yasha deepened the kiss immediately and met no resistance. His hand found its way to the back of her head and his other one rested on the small of her back. He pushed his tongue against her lips, begging for entry. She complied without complaint and noticed how right the situation felt. Their tongues battled for control over the other, but neither side won.  
  
The kiss finally broke and Kagome breathed in heavily and licked her bruised lips with her tongue. She inhaled sharply when Inu yasha made found her neck. He sucked and kissed and placed small butterfly kisses on all sides of her neck. Kagome didn't even noticed when his hand began to roam and touch her body. 'Why does this feel so right?' Kagome asked herself. She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted small kisses along his strong jawbone.  
  
Inu yasha trailed his fingers up and down her side softly, leaving her to shiver and beg for more. He could feel her body begin to respond to his and took the opportunity to cup one breast. Kagome squealed and jumped backward away from him surprised.  
"Sorry!" Inu yasha said immediately knowing he had gone too far too fast. Kagome's face was flushed and Inu yasha swore he could see steam rising from her body.  
  
"Don't be. I'm sorry, Yash. I'm inexperienced and just wasn't expecting that." Kagome said worriedly. 'Damn it girl! Why the hell did you run? It felt so right!' Kagome screamed mentally at herself.   
  
Inu yasha looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. He knew the look of an internal struggle all too well. Yet, he could tell it didn't involve him. It was a struggle within her. 'Something must have happened.' He thought.  
  
"Why are you running, Kagome?" Inu yasha asked seriously. He was genuinely concerned. "What happened to you in the past?" He stood up straight. She glanced at him with scared eyes.  
  
"Nothing! Why would you say something like that?" She laughed nervously.  
  
"You said it yourself. You said rain was freedom from your past. What happened to you? What makes you so scared of guys?" Inu asked.  
  
"NOTHING! Nothing happened!" She yelled. "Stop prying!"  
  
"Something did happen. I can tell." He said calmly.  
  
"GET OVER IT!" She cried. Inu yasha wasn't able to tell if she was crying or if it was just the rain trickling down her face.  
  
"Tell me, Kagome! I showed you the real me! Why can't you trust me when I allowed myself to trust you?" Inu yasha yelled back.  
  
"Because there's nothing to tell! It was a long time ago! Kouga means nothing anymore!" Kagome yelled.   
  
"Kouga? He has something to do with you being so scared? What did he do to you?" Inu yasha asked.  
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Bum bum buuuuuuuuuum! Ha! I love cliffhangers! But I bet everyone out there hates them! *yawn* It's 2 in the morning. I better get a lot of reviews if you all made me stay up this late!!!  
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dream-in: Good! I'm glad you love the story! That's terrific because the plot thickens!  
  
SoraMiru Ki: If I finished it soon it wouldn't be as much fun! I love getting angry e-mails from people telling me to get off my lazy ass and finish it.  
  
tsunami-chan : Yeah, I am sick of that triangle, too! Ugh! It's horrible! Every story has SOMETHING to do with it! Nope! No Kikyou in this story!  
  
Gemini fox 44 : No way! I would never allow Inu Yasha to just get in her pants! Never! I'm hoping for the story to be funny... though I write stories very seriously so any funny scene ideas would be greatly appreciated! ^.^  
  
Houtsuma-san: I know! Seriously! Some friends! Even I get angry over that! . Well... I think your question about Kouga having something to do with Kagome was just answered in this chapter so I won't go into detail.... ^^;  
  
kiya1821: Of course I'll update quickly! I just did! Lol.  
Preview summary for the next chapter: Gomen! I don't have one as of now! You'll all just have to wait!! 


	6. Through My Hero's Eyes

Title: Take Me For Who I Am

Author: btRkun

Chapter: 5 – Through My Hero's eyes

Author's Notes: Wow! Almost 30 reviews for the last chapter! That's amazing! That really blew my mind! Thanks so much everyone!!! :D Also, a couple people have e-mailed me about the language and adult jokes and situations. I want to remind everyone that I gave a fair warning at the very beginning of this story about the rating. I want to remind everyone that the R rating is for people 17 years and older. Language to minors may be offensive and the adult situations may not be to your liking. This story is for mature people. I gave a warning and here is another warning. I will not give another. There will be strong language and a limey/lemony scene in this chapter.

Summary:

"Why are you running, Kagome?" Inu yasha asked seriously. He was genuinely concerned. "What happened to you in the past?" He stood up straight. She glanced at him with scared eyes.

"Nothing! Why would you say something like that?" She laughed nervously.

"You said it yourself. You said rain was freedom from your past. What happened to you? What makes you so scared of guys?" Inu asked.

"NOTHING! Nothing happened!" She yelled. "Stop prying!"

"Something did happen. I can tell." He said calmly.

"GET OVER IT!" She cried. Inu yasha wasn't able to tell if she was crying or if it was just the rain trickling down her face.

"Tell me, Kagome! I showed you the real me! Why can't you trust me when I allowed myself to trust you?" Inu yasha yelled back.

"Because there's nothing to tell! It was a long time ago! Kouga means nothing anymore!" Kagome yelled. 

"Kouga? He has something to do with you being so scared? What did he do to you?" Inu yasha asked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome hesitated and scoffed nervously. Rain still poured all around them, the wind howled ferociously. Thunder and lightning crashed and flared with warning. Kagome turned her back to Inu Yasha.

"What he did doesn't concern you. It was a long time ago. Forget it." She said quietly. Inu yasha's eyes squinted and he shook his head. He didn't believe the shit he was hearing… not one bit. Anything to make her that defensive, reclusive, refined, and emotionally torn was hardly something he could forget. He could see it eating away at her. The way she involuntarily shivered and her short, gasping, nervous gasps and the way her fingers fidgeted gave it away. She was determined to keep it bottled inside her, to let it fester until it consumed her.

"You can't say that with honesty or confidence…can you, Kagome?" He said back to her with the same calm tone she had. For a moment Inu yasha thought Kagome wasn't going to respond. His patience was quickly ebbing away with each drop of rain that fell on his head and nose.

"It doesn't concern you, Inu yasha. Butt out." Kagome's voice was forceful and she made it clear the subject was over. Inu yasha ignored the warning and began to walk to her determined to find out what had happened. 'Why do I care?' Inu yasha thought. He had never cared what these creatures felt. They were nothing but weak, sardonic, racial, pathetic humans, bent on making a hanyou or yokai's life a living hell. So why care now? 'Maybe it's because she showed you compassion? Something that's rare…' he reasoned with himself. 

Inu yasha stopped just behind her. They were close enough now that he could feel Kagome's body heat. He could hear her sharp breaths and he could feel the pain she felt.

"It does concern me." Inu yasha said finally.

"Well it shouldn't. It's not like anyone else is concerned with it!" Kagome's voice began to get panicky and high pitched. She wrapped her arms around herself keeping her from the cold. She shivered violently again.

"Why are you cold? It's humid and warm." Kagome spun around and looked at Inu yasha dangerously in the eyes. They burned with sudden hatred.

"I'm always cold and I will forever be cold. I'm trapped in an eternity of cold! Nothing can warm me up!" Her voice rose a few decibels with each word that was spoken. Inu yasha's patience wore away completely leaving him the only emotion he knew well: anger.

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" He yelled. He raised his arms well up in the air. Kagome noticed the artery in his neck pop out. "I'm just trying to fucking help you! Why won't you let me?!"

"Because I am not worth it! I'm not worth the effort! I'm not worth being saved! I can't be saved, anyway!" Kagome's anger grew; she pounded Inu yasha's chest with her fists. Inu yasha began to understand and his anger soon softened and sympathized with her. He spoke to her soothingly and quietly trying to calm the rage that had quickly built inside of her as a defense against the pain.

"Damn it, Kagome. Is that what you really believe? That you're not worth saving?" Inu yasha paused and waited for her to say something. When she looked down at the sand that had gathered around her ankles he continued. "Why would you say such a thing? What the hell did Kouga do? How could he make such a happy girl, optimistic, and bright girl think such a way?" Kagome choked back a sob. She wouldn't allow herself or him have the pleasure of seeing her cry. Crying was nothing but a weakness, a doorway that had led her to her destruction.

"Just stop, Inu yasha. Please." Kagome said. She choked back another sob and soon felt her chin being lifted by Inu yasha's strong hands. He looked her in the eyes and smiled. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Rage took over again as Kagome smacked his hand away. She took a few steps backward and yelled out another warning. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" This time she couldn't hold back the tears. 

Inu yasha saw the tears start to pour down her cheeks. He instantly regretted touching her, it had only driven her away. It had driven away the only one, besides Miroku, to understand. 

'Why do I see pity in his eyes? Why does he pity me?' Kagome asked herself. She didn't wait long enough to find out. She took off at a full run to avoid his stare and pity. She sobbed as she ran and she realized then that she would never be free and would always be running away.

"Kagome!" Inu Yasha yelled out to her. When Kagome didn't stop or reply he ran after her. He had to find out what was wrong and his only clue was Kouga. 'But that's not important right now.' Inu yasha thought. 'I have to catch Kagome and calm her down before something happens…'

Kagome's feet left wet tracks in the sand, and small puddles formed in them from the downpour. The running process was slow and tiresome because her feet sank every time she took a step. It required more work and soon Kagome's legs began to ache. Still she continued running as fast as she could despite the fact her lungs burned and that her heart pounded painfully against her chest. 'I have to escape.' Was the only thin she could think of.

"Kagome!" Inu yasha cried out again. He was only about ten feet behind her now and was still gaining in speed as she slowed down from exhaustion. The gap between them closed further until he was just a few feet behind her. He made a grab for the back of her dress but missed. He tried once more and again missed. Frustrated, he leaped forward and tackled her to the ground. They both landed face down in the sand. Without bothering to spit the sand out of his mouth Inu yasha laid on top of Kagome to prevent her from getting away. He held her arms and placed most of his weight on her legs to keep her from kicking him. She struggled to get away. He only held on harder.

Kagome stopped all movement while lying beneath him and cried. Inu yasha lessened his grip on her and eased his weight and said nothing while she let it all out. They stayed like that for ten minutes when Kagome's voice had gotten so hoarse she couldn't cry any longer. She looked at Inu yasha through her puffy red eyes. Inu yasha moved off of her and sat to her side. 

"Why did you do that?" Kagome's voice was weak and unstable.

"Do what?" Inu yasha acted dumb. 'Perhaps' he thought 'being angry with her and trying to get Kagome to confess that way was the wrong way going about things.'

"Chase after me. Stop me." Kagome continued to lie on the sand. She turned her head away from Inu yasha to hide the tear that soon followed.

"Because I wanted to." Inu yasha replied.

"Why?" She asked again.

"You need a hero that understands what it's like to feel unwanted." Inu yasha said truthfully. Kagome laughed sardonically.

"I don't need a hero. I need people to leave me alone." Kagome said icily.

"Then you better move on the other side of the world and become a hermit, because I won't leave you alone otherwise." Inu yasha said quietly. Kagome didn't reply. Her heart ached because of his kind sentiments. She knew, however, that he would be hurt in the end if she didn't get rid of him now.

"Then I guess I better make hire someone to kill you." She forced herself to laugh. When he didn't laugh she said, "Oh come on. Lighten up!" Kagome sat up and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"It's not funny." Inu yasha said.

"What do you want from me, Inu yasha?" Kagome asked.

"The truth. Why do you run? What made you become so reclusive all of a sudden? You were so open and happy fifteen minutes ago." Kagome gave him a weak smile as a reply.

"Why did you trust me, Inu yasha? Why did you allow me to remove your cap? Why did you allow me to kiss you?" She paused. "You said I need a hero who understands. Maybe I do, but are you really that hero? How could you possibly understand?"

"Kagome…" Inu yasha started. Kagome crawled closer to him.

"Tell me! How could you possibly understand?" Kagome asked.

"I may not understand what you're going through entirely, Kagome. But I do understand how it feels to be alone, unwanted, unloved. You've already forgotten that I'm a hanyou, haven't you?" Kagome shook her head.

"My loneliness is a different feeling. You've been shunted all your life. You've been looked down upon because of who you are when the only thing different about you is your heritage. You couldn't possibly understand my loneliness."

"How do you know that when you haven't bothered to-" Inu yasha was cut off.

"I don't need to tell anyone what my loneliness is like. You can't tell someone how you feel. You have to show it." Kagome grabbed one of Inu yasha's hands and placed it over her heart just above her breast. Inu yasha flushed a little. "You don't know this loneliness because you've never felt it. You've never felt or experienced love. You don't know what it's like to be stabbed right here!" Kagome pushed his hand against her chest even harder.

"Heh. You're right. I haven't had the privilege of experiencing love. So I don't understand." Inu yasha said sadly.

"You won't understand until it happens to you." Kagome released his hand and closed her eyes. The rain had slowed down by this point, but was still coming down hard.

"Can you at least try to explain it to me? Or at least what happened?" Inu yasha asked hopefully.

"In eighth grade, Inu yasha, my father passed away. He was the principal of a very prestigious school and I went to that school. Soon after he passed away the school filed bankruptcy, and I switched to a public school and met Ayame, Tea, Miroku, and Sango. We became very close friends quickly. I also met Kouga then and back then he was hot stuff. Strutting around the school like he owned everything and everyone. It was infatuation, I realize now, but I thought it was love. Back then I was really naive, inexperienced, and especially lonely because of my father's death. When he asked me out I thought I died and went to heaven." Kagome paused.

"Go on." Inu yasha coaxed on.

"I was in a rebound relationship." Kagome held back a sob. "I felt wanted and not lonely for the first time in a long while, it was the most wonderful feeling. Even though I felt wanted and loved I still felt miserable. I went to Kouga thinking he could pinpoint my distress. He said it was nothing and asked if I wanted to go to a party that night. I said sure thinking I could get away from the nagging suspicion that something was wrong. " Kagome stopped, obviously reluctant to go on.

"What happened?" Inu yasha had a pretty good idea what had happened, but he didn't want to admit it to himself or to Kagome. He had to be supportive.

"Sometime during the party Kouga slipped Special K into my glass of water. I didn't want to drink the beer the people at the party offered." Inu yasha's face contorted and he had the urge to go find Kouga and slug him in the face. He refrained for Kagome's sake. "I didn't know it of course, not until later that night. It couldn't have been long after I was doped up on the crap that he led me to a bedroom upstairs. We made out, kissed, touched, and when we were just about to…you know…go all the way," Kagome blushed deeply. "Ayame came in and said my brother had pneumonia and was in the hospital. Kouga's friend drove us there and mom made me get a drug and alcohol test because I was acting really weird. It wasn't until the next day that she confronted me about taking Special K. I'm still devastated that someone would take advantage of me like that. Especially right after my father passed away. He knew it too! He knew what he was doing! I didn't!" Kagome began to get defensive again as the tears began to pour from her eyes. "I didn't realize he was planning to score with me! I didn't know he put those drugs in my drink! I didn't know! I didn't know!" Inu yasha put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. He said words of comfort as her tears once again racked her body.

"You do know that's attempted rape, right? You told your mom?" Inu yasha said.

"Of course I did. I'm not some stupid girl who's too embarrassed to tell anyone. Of course I told mom. She believed me and filed a report. By the time the police got around to investigate the house the party was held at everything was clean and the owners of the house denied everything! They questioned Kouga but claimed he was victim of the drug too!"

"How do you know he wasn't?" Inu yasha asked.

"I had only one drink that night and I watched him get it from the faucet in the kitchen. He was the only one around." Kagome swallowed and hugged Inu yasha back. Kagome thought how he had let her talk without interruption, how he immediately believed her, how he didn't question her about what Kouga did with her. Kagome liked how he didn't push her too far and ask too much. She liked the feel of his arms around her. She liked how perfectly her head rested in the crook of his neck. She liked how he spoke softly and was patient. But she didn't like how close they were becoming in such a short time. Would he take advantage of her like the last time she got this close to a guy? Kagome wondered silently to herself and didn't say anything. She didn't want to ruin the moment.

Inu yasha trailed a few fingers up and down her back; his nails grazed gently down her spine. He was at a loss of words. Nothing came to mind. How could someone go through such and ordeal and still be so courageous? How is it possible that she trusted anyone? She was violated. 

"Inu yasha?" Kagome whispered. She gently pushed away from him to properly look him in the eyes.

"Please don't tell anyone. I don't even know why I told you." She chuckled a little. "It's just something about you that I can't help but trust."

"Despite the fact I'm a hanyou, you still trust me?" Inu yasha asked. Kagome nodded and reached up to move the silver hair from his face, which was stuck there from all the rainwater. Inu yasha grabbed her hand before she could reach his face and brought it to his lips. He gently placed a kiss on each finger. Kagome felt the blush rise from her neck to her cheeks.

"Inu yasha? Tell me…what was it like growing up as…as a hanyou?" She cocked her head to the side. Inu yasha's smile faded and he looked down at his bare feet, as if they had the answers.

"Think of what happened to you, multiply it tenfold and live through the pain your entire life. You realize that you have to lead a secret life in order to fit in as best you can. Anger is the only other emotion you know well. Anger at your mother. Anger at your father. Anger at innocent people. Anger at yourself." Inu yasha stopped.

"Does anyone else know? I mean, besides myself?" Kagome questioned. She wanted to know if he had trusted her just as much as she had him. She needed to know if his secret was just as secret as her own secret was.

"Miroku is the only other person that knows." He paused, grinned and continued. "And of course the occasional person I want to scare shitless." Kagome laughed and pointed to the sky. The rain had stopped for the most part, only occasional raindrops dripped from the now scarce clouds. The sky was dark and the half-moon glowed brightly from above.

"Every star in the sky glitters and sparkles and shines. It's as if they are so confident that they are the brightest star, that there is no equal, no competitor. It's like they are oblivious of the other stars." Kagome paused. "I envy them." Inu yasha looked at her thoughtfully.

"Kagome, each star we see has something unique about them. Something that sets them apart from one another and that's what makes them shine. We need to do that as well."

"I don't know, Inu Yasha! You stand out pretty well from everyone else!" She said. Kagome reached up to rub his ears; they were as soft as velvet. She noticed that Inu yasha's entire face had turned crimson before he backed away growling lightly. Kagome was confused. "What?" 

Inu yasha stood up and turned his back to Kagome. He cleared his through before answering.

"Rubbing a hanyou's ears is like…" His voice faltered with embarrassment. "…is like rubbing…um…you know… like rubbing something below…just south of my…my belt." Inu yasha said the last bit very quickly.

Kagome sat on the sand realizing what she had done. Her own face turned as red as a tomato and she giggled nervously.

"S…sorry, Inu yasha. I," She swallowed. "I had no idea, hehe…he…hehe." Kagome fidgeted with her dress out of nervousness. She didn't look at him even though she knew he was looking at her. This made Kagome blush even more.

"Not your fault." Inu yasha replied after a moment of silence. Inu yasha turned around and smiled at Kagome who was still looking at the sand and fidgeting with her dress. He rolled his eyes fully irritated now and bent down to grab Kagome's hand. He pulled her up without much difficulty and without letting her hand go he began to walk back towards the boardwalk with Kagome tagging along behind.

Kagome walked quickened her pace to keep up with his long strides; from the corner of her eyes Kagome stared at Inu yasha. She noticed how his eyebrows remained furrowed and how his mouth seemed to be stuck between a permanent grin and a permanent frown. She grinned and looked forward in denial. She didn't understand how someone like him, a guy with a horrible reputation, could be so kind and understanding. She couldn't help but like the wild side of him, the hanyou side, but she wondered it that's all it was.

They walked together in silence for most the way. Off and on they would ask each other irrelevant questions as a result of nervousness. They didn't know how to react or behave around each other. 

The bed and breakfast came into view all too soon. Kagome sighed realizing she would have to leave Inu yasha and go back to the real world. She knew she wouldn't have been able to stay in this dream world forever. After all, every dream eventually comes to an end.

Inu yasha slowed his pace considerably. He remembered that he still had to ask Kagome out and get her to say yes. 'Asking a girl out was never this difficult and nerve racking… why now?' he thought. In the past it was always easy. See a pretty girl, ask her out, show her a good time, and take her back to his place and then that was that. Why was it so hard now?

"Shit!" Inu yasha suddenly stopped walking and patted the top of his head and tried to take off his shades. All he did, however, was manage to poke himself in the eye and pat one of his ears. "Crap crap crap!" he cursed.

"What? What's wrong?" Kagome wondered.

"Where are my shades and where…where is my hat?" Inu yasha turned around in a full circle looking at the ground all around. Kagome held up her other hand, which held his hat..

"I don't know where your shades went, but here's your hat. Don't worry. It's dark out, no one will notice." Kagome said. Inu yasha grabbed his hat and placed it on his head hurriedly. He cleared his throat and Kagome noticed his cheeks turn a pale shade of red. He didn't look at Kagome; instead he turned his head pretending to be interested in the people passing by on his left.

"Kagome? How are you going to be staying here? At the shore, I mean." Inu yasha asked.

"Just the weekend. Miroku, Ayame, Tea and I will be driving back on Sunday night. Why?" Kagome asked.

"Well I was just wondering something." Inu yasha stopped talking. He could feel his blush deepen. He was just thankful that Kagome couldn't see.

"Go on…" Kagome urged him on.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to do something Sunday. Just you and me; I know there's a paintball place not too far from here. You wanna go?"

"Oh!" Kagome was taken back surprised. She didn't know how to answer. Everything in her right mind told her to say no. But there was that annoying voice inside her head that wanted to say yes. 

"Kagome? What do you say?" Inu yasha asked.

"Umm… I," Kagome paused and took in a sharp breath. What should she say? Kagome knew what she should say, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. "I don't think I can, Inu yasha. Ayame and I were planning on doing something, just us, on Sunday."

"What about tomorrow?" Inu yasha asked. He knew what the answer would be, but he still had to try.

"No, I don't think I can tomorrow either. I have plans already." Kagome replied. She knew she would regret saying no, but she wasn't able to bring herself to say yes.

"What about sometime next weekend?" Inu yasha pressed.

"We'll see. I don't know if I have anything planned."

"Okay then. Talk to you soon!" Inu yasha smiled and hurriedly planted a small kiss on Kagome's cheek before running off without looking back, partly because his face burned with embarrassment. Kagome stood there stunned with her own face flushing just as much. Then she smiled.

Sorry that took so long everyone! And sorry it's a shorter chapter than I would have like it to be! I'm working on another new story and the first chapter will be posted the same time this one is! It's called **Haunting Betrayal** and is also an AU fic featuring my favorite couple, Inu Yasha and Kagome! Yay! So please read that when you get a chance! The plot is a lot more original and I think it may end up being longer than this one! Ack! So please read and review and thanks again!!!


	7. Sweet Revenge

AN: The last chapter was kind of rushed and definitely not as good as chapter four so I'm hoping that this chapter will be better. I have some funny scene ideas planned for this chapter but my all time favorite scene will be Miroku looking constipated in an exotic pet store, haha. I know, I lied…there wasn't any citrus in the last chapter, I don't know what I was thinking. Question… I was wondering what made chapter four better than chapter five? Any and all comments/replies would be greatly appreciated since it'll give me a better understanding as to what you guys liked about it! Also, during this chapter Kagome will play some "nasty" tricks on Ayame, Tea, and Miroku…PLEASE do not repeat any of them… I will not be held responsible for any results that may occur if you do. On with the chapter!

Summary:

"What about sometime next weekend?" Inu yasha pressed.

"We'll see. I don't know if I have anything planned."

"Okay then. Talk to you soon!" Inu yasha smiled and hurriedly planted a small kiss on Kagome's cheek before running off without looking back, partly because his face burned with embarrassment. Kagome stood there stunned with her own face flushing just as much. Then she smiled.

Take Me For Who I Am

Chapter 6: Sweet Revenge

Her face burned with embarrassment. It was fine and dandy when they kissed earlier because it was so abrupt and unplanned, but this time he meant to do it…and it baffled Kagome.

As she calmly walked back to the bed and breakfast more clouds started rolling in, rain began to drizzle and her dress stuck to her back making her uncomfortable. Kagome couldn't help but smile at what had just happened. It was so fast and spontaneous that she honestly didn't know how to react. 

All of her defenses were shot just then. The door that had remained closed since eighth grade was slowly creaking open shining some light into the dark isolated room that she had kept herself in. Someone found the key to the door and was prying and peaking into a place Kagome didn't want anyone to see. She felt vulnerable.

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows with frustration. Anger returned in full force and she was ticked off at herself for allowing someone other than Sango to take a sneak peak into her past. It was too much for her to bear. Kagome mentally blocked it and once again locked the door, this time with a chain.

Cars whizzed passed splashing through the puddles that formed on the side of the road. When it was clear Kagome walked across the street remembering the sand in the plastic container in her purse. She grinned mischievously.

The man at the desk in the front lobby stared as Kagome walked to the stairs to get to her room. She nearly bounced with each step she took not being able to wait to see her friends. Not to tell them what happened but to exact her revenge for ditching her at the ice cream truck. She decided not to tell them about Inu yasha. She decided she would pretend it never happened. She would deny the whole experience.

Kagome knocked on the door to her room. The door soon opened revealing a worried Tea, and grinning Miroku with a twinkle in his eye (I wonder why... she's only saturated in a white dress ^^;), and a pissed off Ayame.

"Kagome!" They all yelled. Ayame pulled a blanket around Kagome's arms and dragged her away from Miroku's wandering eyes and into the bathroom. Tea proceeded with finding warm pajamas and a hot drink from room service.

"Kagome! Where have you been? You've been gone for two hours! I thought you were raped or…or kidnapped!" Ayame said half angry half worriedly.

"Just walking around. I decided I needed time to think after you guys ditched me!" Tea puffed up like a balloon at Kagome's accusation.

"We did not ditch you! It was all Miroku! He had to go to the bathroom, dragged us along, and when we came back you were gone! We didn't know where you were! We searched and searched until the storm came and then came back here hoping to find you!" Tea said. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Yuh huh…right…sure." Kagome replied. Miroku knocked on the door.

"Can I come in?" He pleaded.

"NO!" The three of them yelled.

Miroku pouted and sat down on one of the two beds twirling his thumbs. He had to find Inu yasha.

"So you were just walking the entire time?" Ayame started to blow dry Kagome's damp hair.

"Yeah, well, for the most part. I stopped to watch the storm and stuff, no biggie really." Kagome said.

"Damn you, Kag! You can get pneumonia! Don't do that again!" Tea said swallowing a lump in her throat.

Ayame finished drying her hair and began to brush it thoroughly. They talked for a few more minutes before facing Miroku.

The door to the bathroom opened; Miroku stood up from the bed and immediately pulled Kagome into a giant hug pretending to sob. Kagome's eyebrow twitched, her face contorted. SLAP! Kagome walked over to the bed and sat down crossing her arms. Miroku looked at his hand and began cursing it.

"Damn this hand! It's cursed! I know it is!" Miroku muttered to himself.

"Listen, Kags, we're going to go downstairs to the restaurant to get some hot cocoa. We'll be right back." Ayame said. Miroku cleared his throat, stood up, and looked serious for a moment.

"I volunteer to stay here and comfort Kagome. I'll make her feel better." Ayame looked at him and Tea sighed. They both grabbed on to his ear and pulled him out the door.

"Ow ow ow ow!" Miroku's voice could be heard from down the hall. 

Kagome waited outside the room to watch her friends descend the stairs before smiling evilly and slowly closing the door.

"It's about freaking time they left!" Kagome cackled. "Where's my purse? Bua hahahahaha!" She said as she picked up her purse from the floor. "Ooh, so they think they're gonna get away with ditching me, eh?" She laughed. "I don't think so!"

Kagome pulled out the plastic container filled with dry sand. She opened the container and carefully sprinkled a quarter of the contents on the sheets of the double bed.

"Hmmm, I hope they won't be _too_ itchy sleeping tonight…" Kagome said as an afterthought. "Naa!" She sprinkled more sand on the bed and quickly covered it with the comforter.

Kagome walked over to the bathroom and poured half of the container of the sand into the Shampoo bottle Ayame brought for them to share. "Man am I glad I brought my own shampoo." She said grinning.

As she hummed "_Whistle While You Work_" Kagome brought her duffel bag into Miroku's room (their rooms are connected by a door like in a hotel). She dumped the remainder of the sand on Miroku's bed and proceeded to his bathroom where she drained his shampoo bottle and put two tampons in it instead.

"I've always known that guys just _looooove_ tampons…bua hahahaha! Hmmm, should I put some pads someplace?" Kagome nodded to no one and put some pads in Miroku's sinks, and one on his pillow like a mint.

Afterwards Kagome put some more tampons in various places that she was sure Miroku would eventually find.

Kagome walked back into her room, changed into her pajamas, and laid down on the remaining twin bed. She set her personal alarm to the softest setting (volume wise) so when it went off she knew Ayame and Tea wouldn't wake up. She watched television for a few minutes before she heard some annoyed inquires towards Miroku outside the door. Kagome was unable to decipher the questions.

"Hope you like French Vanilla, Kags!" Ayame said cheerfully. "That's all they had down there." Kagome smiled sweetly at her friend and thanked them.

"*Sigh* Well I guess Kagome has already claimed the twin bed, Ayame." Tea said rather gloomily.

"What's wrong with that? I don't snore…" Ayame replied.

"No, but you kick…and you kick hard. It's like you're riding a bicycle at nighttime. Remember that sleepover a year ago? I slept next to you on the floor and I ended up leaving with a black eye…." Tea said. Ayame laughed as she remembered.

"Why do you look so gloomy, Inu…Miroku?" Kagome said quickly correcting herself. Everyone in the room silenced immediately and stared at Kagome.

"What did you say, Kagome? What did you call me?" Miroku's eyes twinkled. Tea and Ayame began to look worried.

"I called you Miroku. What's wrong with that?" Kagome replied.

"True, but what were you going to call him, Kags? You said Inu…Inu what?" Kagome looked at Tea seemingly without a care in the world. She quickly made up a lie.

"I felt like I was going to sneeze! Some people say achoo, I say inuchoo!" Kagome leaned over the side of her bed to cover up her burning face. She picked up a magazine from her duffel bag and began to flip through pages as if nothing weird had occurred.

Miroku glanced over at Ayame and Tea. Tea bit on her nails subconsciously and Ayame glared daggers at Miroku. He took the hint.

"Hehehe…hehe…he…" Miroku cleared his throat. "Well, I'm tired from all that walking today! I'm off to bed!" He said as he stretched. He walked through the joint bedroom doorway and locked the door behind him.

"Actually, I'm really tired too guys, I'm tired from trying to **find you three all night**." Kagome said with extreme emphasis. Ayame and Tea looked at her with guilty but apologetic eyes.

"Okay, you sleep well, ya hear? Just don't go getting sick on us here. That would suck!" Tea said. Ayame and Tea started to get into their own pajamas.

"I won't." Kagome said as she lay down. She pretended not to move but inwardly she was grinning, just waiting to hear their reactions.

"AHH! It's the attack of the tampons!!!" Miroku yelled. Kagome shook violently trying to keep her giggles in. Ayame and Tea knocked on the door.

"Miroku? What's going on?" Ayame asked. Kagome shook even harder. The door swung open revealing Miroku in his boxers. He held three tampons with a tissue.

"There are tampons _everywhere!_" Miroku exclaimed. Ayame and Tea giggled wildly.

"Those are mine, goofball." Tea said grabbing the tampons.

"What'd you go put them in my slippers for?!" He asked. His face was the color of ash.

"I didn't, moron." Tea rolled her eyes.

"You liar! Keep your feminine products and problems to yourself!" He said throwing another tampon at her. Ayame grinned, grabbed a tampon and shoved it in his face.

"OOH! Miroku is scared of the big bad tampon! It's the tampon from hell, Miroku! Woooooooo!" Miroku made a disgusted and fearful face and closed the door again smashing the tampon between the door and the frame.

"Oh man…" Tea started. "Kagome? Did you do that?" Kagome stopped shaking at once and pretended to be asleep. "Well if you did that was the best!" Tea and Ayame laughed. Tea walked over to Kagome and nudged her, then looked at her face.

"She looks sound asleep."

"Are you sure?" Tea asked. Ayame opened one of Kagome's eyes with her finger. Her eye didn't move. Kagome's mouth parted slightly and she began to snore softly.

"Yup, she's asleep." Ayame confirmed.

"Good, now we can talk about you-know-what." Tea said. Ayame nodded her head in agreement. "Do you think they met up?" Tea bit her thumbnail.

"Yes, they did. Kagome is very articulate, she wouldn't have said Inu unless she had met him tonight." Ayame said. Kagome's eyes shot open but she remained still. Her back was facing her two friends.

"We have to do something about this, Ayame. Miroku was cheating, we have to find a way around this, or you know what will happen!" Ayame silenced Tea with a loud "SHH!" before speaking.

"Let's go downstairs to talk. We'll get something to drink…again…we can't talk about it here unless we want to wake Kagome up." 

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip. She sat up the minute she heard the door to the room close.

"What was that about?" She asked aloud.

An hour or so later Kagome finally fell asleep, completely exhausted from the night and tired of waiting for Ayame and Tea to come back upstairs. She slept fitfully.

__

She ran down the street in the dark of night. Her breathing was heavy and sometimes came in short gasps. Street lamps illuminated the dark street, clearing the way of her path.

Shadows surrounded the girl, some moved alongside her, some followed her, and some remained still. All she knew was that she had to run. Run and escape. Escape or be tormented again.

She turned the corner and stopped short. This street was completely dark. With fear she took one step forward into the shadow and was swallowed up by the street. The street caved in around her like jelly and suddenly she couldn't breathe. 

She opened her eyes and saw the faces of all her friends…every one of them except one. There were other people too, three others in fact. All the faces were indistinguishable, but she knew who every one of them was. And they were all laughing. Laughing at her, laughing at her fear, laughing at her gullibility.

The girl inhaled sharply desperate for air, but she was drowning. Drowning in her fear. And no one was bothering to rescue her…instead they all held her down. She screamed.

Kagome shot up from her bed and gasped for air. She was covered in a cold sweat, her bangs plastered against her forehead.

"What the hell was that?!" Kagome asked herself alarmed.

Whee! I'm done with this chapter now! *receives death glares from everyone* Ack! Okay okay! I'll write some more! Gomen! I just love and despise cliffhangers. Good for writing stories…bad for reading them, bua hahahahahaha! Anyway, below are some replies from chapters 4 and 5; only a few thought because I don't want to waste space by replying to 30 reviews ^^; Don't forget to tell me (in a review of course! *eyes twinkle* ) why chapter 4 was so much better than chapter 5!

Pinky-cat: Awe! Thanks! That chapter took me forever to plan and write! .

MarsMoonStar: LOL! I loved your review!! "holy crap…whao" HAHA! Can't say I've ever gotten one like that before!

Silverstarlight: Hmm, so you guessed where I got my inspiration from have you? *pulls out knife* Guess I'm gonna have to kill you know! Lol, j/k

Gemini fox 44: That's okay! I've thought of some more funny scenes, but my all time favorite will be Miroku looking constipated in an exotic pet store *grins*

yasha-chan: Hmmm, what do you think? o.ô Do you think he likes her for who she is? Or does he just want the money? You'll have to keep reading to find out!

Lord-Hiei: Can I eat the chocolate covered turtles instead? Please? Pretty please? I love chocolate covered turtles!!! *pulls out napkin…turtles scuttle away*


	8. Her Savior in Red

AN: Okay, I know I posted this chapter already but that was last night at around 11:30 and I didn't bother checking for typos or other errors so I thought I'd just do that now, so bear with me! I'm pretty sure I managed to get all of the mistakes (if not then most of them). J ****Warning! There is a lemon scene in this chapter! It's on the borderline between R and NC-17 so please…if you're not of age skip the last two pages! x.x** **

Previously:

Kagome shot up from her bed and gasped for air. She was covered in a cold sweat, her bangs plastered against her forehead.

"What the hell was that?!" Kagome asked herself alarmed.

Take Me for Who I Am

Chapter 7: Her Savior in Red

Kagome didn't tell anyone about her dream. Instead she spent the rest of the night and most of the next day brooding over it. The rain continued to pour down in sheets never easing up. As her friends played games and talked and gossiped about anything and everything Kagome stared out the window thinking to herself.

Of course her friends knew something was wrong, it was impossible not to notice.

"Kagome? What's wrong? Are you upset about me getting mad over the sand in the bed and shampoo?" Ayame asked. She worried about her friend a great deal. The usual happy-go-lucky Kagome was gloomy, just like the weather, and there was nothing any of them could do.

"No, not at all. I thought it all to be very funny." Kagome smiled. Her smile, though, was fake, a façade to cover her true feelings. Her feelings of foreboding. 

Kagome rarely ever dreamed, and when she did they were nightmares. Then she would get the same nightmare over and over again until something went wrong in her life, and then the nightmares would mysteriously stop.

She couldn't help but feel Inu yasha was somehow involved, but how? Why would he be involved? She knew something was happening within her group of friends, otherwise they wouldn't have been heartless and faceless monsters in her dream. And there was also the fact that she was running…but from what?

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Tea asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all. I didn't sleep well last night for some reason." Kagome said nonchalantly. Ayame eyed Kagome suspiciously.

"I can never tell when you're lying, Kags. You're good at acting and you know it and you use it to your advantage." Miroku said squinting his eyes.

Just then the phone in the room rang; Kagome got up from her position next to the room (the other three were playing Twister) to answer it. She cleared her throat before answer.

"Hello?" Kagome said.

"Kagome? Is this Kagome?" A male voice answered.

"Yes," Kagome started warily. "Who is this?"

"Kagome, I want to see you again. Please say you'll see me again. Please." The voice pleaded. He sounded familiar, but his voice was muffled, and husky.

"Who is this?" Kagome asked again.

"You know me, I saw you just yesterday. Would you come and meet me today? I need to talk to you." He said.

"Today? It's pouring outside, there's a flashflood warning!" She answered incredulously. 

"Yes today. I need to speak with you…please."

"Is there something wrong?" Kagome could feel her friend's eyes on her waiting for her to get off the phone.

"You could say that I guess," The voice sounded amused, Kagome could feel his smirk on the other side of the line. "Will you meet me? Say in twenty minutes?"

"Umm," Kagome thought hard. She was compelled to go, intrigued by the mysterious man, but her dream still haunted her.

"Please?" He asked again. "I'm desperate. I'll buy you a stuffed monkey for your collection! Please just say you'll meet with me!" Kagome hesitated. Very few people knew she collected stuffed monkeys so it was obviously someone that knew her well, but who? She didn't have many guy friends. Plus, not many people knew she was going to the shore for the weekend anyway.

"Fine." She agreed. The male voice heaved a great sigh of relief.

"Meet me outside the Go-Go grocery store in town, I'll be waiting for you. And Kagome? Thanks." The person on the other line hung up.

Kagome put the receiver down and put on a heavy sweatshirt over her tee shirt. Then she put on Tea's rain jacket.

"What was that about Kagome?" Ayame asked. Kagome shrugged her shoulders in response.

"My friend from elementary school is in town, she wanted to see me today because it'll be the last day she's here. She moved away in second grade to the United States. I haven't seen her in ages so I'm going to go see her, even if it's just for a short while. I'll be back, bye!" Kagome lied calmly. She picked up her purse and left the room with an umbrella.

The others watched Kagome leave. Even if she did sound truthful she said it very quickly. This made her friends slightly uneasy.

The harsh wind blew the unforgiving rain against her face creating thousands of sharp pains on her cheeks. The umbrella broke long ago from the unusually high winds that mercilessly tossed her around. It was like being in a hurricane, but the weather forecast said severe thunderstorm.

Street lamps were the only things that illuminated Kagome's path as she made her way to the grocery store. No one else was in sight, obviously because of the storm. Kagome mentally kicked herself for agreeing to come meet a stranger during such dangerous weather. 

The grocery store came into view, it was only about fifty yards away, but the rain made it difficult to see where she was going and the wind made it nearly impossible to walk in a straight line.

The darkness around her made Kagome uneasy. Cars were completely void from the parking lot, meaning the store was closed. Kagome jumped at the slightest noise other than the howl of the wind, the patter of the rain, and her own heart. Street lamps began to flicker. She finally made it to the front doors of the building.

Kagome felt herself whimper more than she heard herself. The storm was worsening, and pretty soon…. The street lamps completely went out without warning. The electricity went down all around Kagome making the darkness surround her until she was engulfed with darkness and fear that she bit her lip until it bled crimson.

She began to get frantic. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, her eyes darted from side to side, her heart pounded against her chest…. Then she saw a dark figure, completely black, walking towards her. Kagome sighed with relief knowing she wasn't alone any longer, but instantly felt panic again as she realized that if it was some sick stalker she was in serious danger.

The lone figure looked at Kagome through dark eyes and quickened his pace until he was just three feet away from her. Kagome felt, rather than saw, him speak to her, but due to the loud and ceaseless moaning and roaring of the wind she couldn't make out a word he said. She shrugged her shoulders to show she didn't understand.

He walked towards her and placed his mouth next to her ear so she could hear him better. His breath was foul and his voice harsh and raspy from yelling.

"Thanks for coming, Kagome. It means a lot." The same voice from the phone said. He placed his cheek against Kagome's and she felt him grin. Kagome was certain she didn't know this man.

"Who…who _are_ you?" She questioned. The only response she got was another smirk from the man. Her heart quickened further and her breathing came in fast short gasps of air. She was terrified. In the middle of a dangerous storm, with no one around, without anywhere to escape.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked again less bravely. Her voice cracked.

"Come now, Kagome. You know who I am. Guess." The man grabbed Kagome's left and right wrists in a tight grip with one hand and placed them above her head.

The street lamps began to flicker on and off creating eerie shadows on the man's face preventing Kagome from seeing who he truly was. But she knew, however, he was right…it was someone she knew. She just couldn't place how and where she knew him from.

Kagome tried to free her wrists fearing what he might be planning. She tugged and pulled and even yanked as hard she could but his grip was solid, she couldn't budge a bit. This made Kagome even more fearful. The man just chuckled.

"Where you going sweet cakes?" He said acidly. There was alcohol mixed with raw power in his voice that sizzled and boiled; it made Kagome's stomach churn and made her feel nauseous. Her eyes widened in surprise and shock when he licked her ear lobe and nipped her neck with sharp teeth. Memories came flooding back to her, memories from way back then, memories of that night, memories from that "drug induced" boy, memories from the night he made the rest of her life a living hell. 

This stranger, this man, who was now feeling her up, was none other than Kouga.

"Kouga?" Kagome said with more terror that would ever have allowed herself to admit. Since that fateful night she vowed never to show her fear, her anger, her resentment towards Kouga. Kagome was sick with shock.

"Bingo, sweet cakes. I never thought you'd remember." Kagome was all too aware of what he was capable of. And now she knew he was back to finish the job he started four years ago.

"Please let me go, Kouga." Kagome pleaded realization settling in. She squirmed against his wandering hands, which were steadily making their way down her lower stomach and lower still.

"You know I can't do that. Just be a good girl, Kagome, you know you want this." Kouga licked the base of Kagome's neck.

"Let me go, Kouga, let me go now. I'm warning you, if you don't let me go now I'll kick you in the family jewels so hard that you'll never be able to reproduce." Her voice quavered and her fear seeped out.

Kouga pressed her hard against the building with his body, which prevented her from moving. Kagome tried moving her head away as he began to suck on the side of her neck. She tried screaming but realized that even if he did allow her to scream there was no one to rescue her. Everyone was safe at home, warm in their beds.

So Kagome did the only thing she could think of. She leaned forward and bit his ear, and bit it hard. Kouga let out a yowl of pain and immediately let Kagome go to grip his ear.

Kagome tasted his salty and tainted blood in her mouth. She spat it out, walked over to Kouga with rage and kneed him hard in the stomach before attempting to run away. She knew all too well how quick of a runner he was. He howled again and doubled over in pain.

Kagome didn't waste another second. She ran. She ran for all she was worth. She ran without looking back to see if he was close or if he was still on the pavement recuperating. Rage mixed with terror. It was a feeling she never felt before and it was intensified by the dark streets, the thunderstorm, the loud thud thud of her heart, and the flashbacks.

Her mind seemed to be louder than her heart, all the bad memories replaying in her head as she ran. Kagome didn't think of going back to the bed and breakfast, her mind was too panicked to think of much. All she knew was that she had to get away. She had to escape from the torment that had been plaguing her since eighth grade.

Everything around her began to spin uncontrollably. The street was now the sky, the sky was now the street, and the lamps swirled around still flashing and flickering. Buildings warped into odd shapes, everything was becoming a blur from the fast spinning. 

Kagome's stomach lurched and turned upside down as she fell in slow motion to the hard cement sidewalk below. Her hands flew out in front of her to catch her fall and she waited for the impact. The fall seemed to take forever, but when she finally hit the ground she hit it hard, so hard her elbows collapsed and sent her headfirst into the pavement.

She scraped her palms and arms upon impact and her head began to throb immediately from hitting it against the ground. Kagome groaned and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She didn't dare open her eyes in fear of vomiting from the constant spinning of the world around her.

Kagome heard someone breathing hard in front of her. She coughed and forced herself to open her weary eyes. They stung and burned and her vision was still blurry. She gasped in horror as she saw an enraged Kouga stretch his hand out to slap her.

A sickening smack echoed throughout the street. Kagome was sent flying back to the ground dazed from Kouga's slap.

"You bitch!" She heard Kouga say. "You fucking bitch!" Kouga kicked Kagome hard in the stomach. She screamed at the pain and she felt tears form in her eyes. They wouldn't fall, though, her pride and her pain was too great to allow tears to fall. So she remained lying there, on the ground in a large dirty puddle.

"Stop, Kouga, please stop." Kagome whispered. Kouga pretended he didn't hear her. He pulled her up by her shirt until they were face to face. He slapped her again. Blood trickled out of her mouth but he didn't care. He slapped her across the other cheek this time and dropped her. She fell limply to the ground and didn't move. Her eyes were open and her breathing had calmed a little; she felt the onset of a dead faint coming but she was scared to faint. She was scared of what might happen if she did.

Kagome felt a vibration through her cheek that was on the ground. Something was coming. She cocked her head and lifted it upwards a little to attempt looking around. She somehow managed to hear growling above the wind and rain.

Kagome raised her head further and looked into a pair of horrified and infuriated amber eyes. She smiled and rested her head against the ground not worried for the first time in the last hour. She felt safe despite the situation she was in.

"Inu yasha…" Kagome whispered.

"Kouga," Inu yasha spat angrily. "Kouga," he growled again. "What the hell did you do?" Kouga glared at Inu yasha through squinted and dangerous eyes.

"Oh look, the dog is here to rescue his bitch, how quaint." Kouga laughed maniacally. Inu yasha's whole body shook with anger, his hands clenched in tight fists, his knuckles white….

When Kagome didn't hear any more talking she tried opening her eyes again and was extremely pleased to see Inu yasha's fist collide with Kouga's jaw sending him into the pavement. When Inu yasha walked over to Kouga once more Kagome closed her eyes not wanting to watch Inu yasha beat him senseless. But as soon as Kagome closed her eyes she felt herself about to faint and this time she allowed herself to. The last thing she heard was another bone cracking punch in favor of her hanyou. 

The smell of fresh pine wafted through the air and into Kagome's nose. She breathed the rich pine smell deeply and stretched her arms high above her head but immediately regretting the action as her stomach ached in protest. She groaned and rubbed her temples trying to ease her throbbing head.

Kagome opened her eyes and was a bit disoriented before she remembered what had happened. She was confused at to why she wasn't outside in the rain anymore. And where was Kouga? She asked herself. Then she remembered her savior. Her savior in red to be more precise. Her savior in red with amber eyes and silver hair and puppy ears to be even more precise.

She smiled feeling completely at ease in her new, but strange, surroundings. She was on a dark green couch in a small room. The warmth of the room warmed and comforted her wary mind.

"Kagome?" A soft voice said. Kagome turned her head towards the source of the voice. There he was, towering above her with worried and concerned eyes. His presence warmed her heart.

"Hi…Inu yasha…" Kagome said with a pause between words. Inu yasha smiled and pulled a chair over to her and sat down. He held out a glass of water and two aspirin. 

Kagome sat up and took the aspirin and water and swallowed them. She drank the contents of the glass until not a drop remained.

They sat in uncomfortable silence for what seemed like an eternity, both brooding and remembering what happened. Neither of them wanted to relive, especially Kagome, that night.

"Thank you, Inu yasha." Kagome finally said. Inu yasha's head was bowed towards the floor, but his eyes had never left Kagome. He was fearful. Of what he wasn't exactly sure.

"I wish I could have been there sooner." He said finally. Kagome smiled genuinely.

"Don't worry, I'm happy you showed up at all." They both became silent again and for the first time Kagome noticed she was in a bathrobe, not her clothes. A light blush rose in her cheeks realizing how she must have gotten there.

"Umm…" Inu yasha started. He wasn't sure what to say, but he knew he had to comfort her somehow. He wanted to hug her and hold her close and tell her it was going to be all right. He knew it wouldn't be all right, though. Kouga escaped, he retreated into a dark alley and Inu yasha couldn't follow him because he needed to get Kagome to safety. It wouldn't be all right…she was almost raped, and possibly even murdered by a drunken ass without anything better to do.

Kagome swallowed and fidgeted with the blanket that covered her lower half. "Can I take a bath, Inu yasha? I feel all dirty and…and gritty from being on the ground in the rain." Inu yasha looked at Kagome in the eyes and smiled.

"Sure." Inu yasha helped Kagome off the couch (because she was still hurting and a little woozy) and led her into the bathroom. He gave her a towel and left her there before leaving and searching through the mini fridge in the hotel room to get his mind off of Kagome in the bathtub.

Kagome stayed in the bathtub until the water was cold. She had plenty of time to think to herself about what had happened and how it should be dealt with. Kagome wouldn't let Kouga get away this time. Inu yasha was a witness so there was no way the judge could dismiss the case.

She felt safe being with Inu yasha, even if they were alone in his hotel room. All the old hurt seemed to be completely washed away with the dirt and grime, and in time the physical pain slowly left her as the aspirin started to take affect.

Kagome felt content just laying in the bathtub knowing it would turn out right this time, she wouldn't have to go to school and see Kouga's smirking and disgusting face. She would finally be able to show up at school without fear; she would finally be able to be herself knowing he was suffering as much as she did. It was a horrible though, Kagome knew, but it brought her comfort. There was no way he would get away with it this time.

Kagome drained the bath and dried off using the towel Inu yasha had given her. And even as she brushed her hair with his hairbrush she couldn't stop thinking of him. Even the bathrobe reminded her of him and his presence somewhere outside the bathroom door. Kagome knew exactly what she would do as she left the bathroom, she played it through in her mind over and over again while she was in the bath…and it made her cheeks flush. 

Kagome opened the bathroom door silently and turned out the light. She saw Inu Yasha next to a glass window staring out at the sea. His ear turned towards Kagome, but he remained looking out into the rain.

Inu yasha heard the door open, he heard the light switch turn off, he heard the slow but steady shuffle of her feet coming towards him, yet he couldn't turn his head to face her.

His faced flushed a shade of pink when he felt her arms wrap around his middle and hug him tightly. He felt her head rest on his shoulder and nuzzle her nose against his neck.

Inu yasha turned around to face Kagome with his cheeks still slightly pink. Kagome shifted her position and wrapped her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly and smiled mischievously innocent.

He looked back at her with wide eyes unsure of what to do and afraid of what might happen and if she would regret it later. His arms seemed to have a mind of their own as one made its way around her body to pull her in closer. His free hand touched the velvet soft skin of her cheek where Kouga had previously slapped her.

"I won't allow another person to slap you ever again, Kagome." Inu yasha said quietly. His jaw clenched. He remembered how he smelled Kagome's fear from his hotel room, he remembered the condition she was in when he finally found her, and he remember how he stood there in front of those two, horrified and enraged as he saw Kagome being slapped so hard she fell to the ground.

"I know, Inu yasha…I know." Kagome said. Kagome unwrapped her arms from around his neck and placed them on his cheeks. She pulled him closer until their lips met. Inu yasha's eyes widened in surprise at Kagome's sudden sign of affection. He wasn't sure what to do, but like his arms his mouth seemed to have a mind of its own and began to respond to her kiss.

Slowly it began…soft, careful, and tender, but Kagome didn't want him to be careful. She wanted him to act normally, not like she was going to collapse in tears at any moment. So she wrapped her arms around his neck again and pressed her body to his and deepened the kiss. 

The kiss broke a few moments later to allow them to breathe. Kagome opened her eyes and looked into Inu yasha's. She saw desire and hesitation. She grinned at him and kissed his nose as an ' it's okay'.

Inu yasha didn't wait any longer before lowering his head to kiss her deeply again then leaving a trail of butterfly kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Kagome smiled and enjoyed the sensation as she played with his hair at the back of his head.

Inu yasha pulled the bathrobe off of one of her shoulders, teasing her with light kisses on her collarbone. Kagome took in a gasp of air when she felt his hand slip into her robe to touch her flesh. Inu yasha lifted her chin to kiss him on the lips again, and at the same time he gently held a breast with his other hand. She moaned into his mouth at the gentle touch. 

Kagome's hands fumbled while trying to take off the top of Inu yasha's red outfit. Eventually she found the secret way to take it off and it fell to the floor revealing his bare chest. Inu yasha easily untied the knot that kept the bathrobe closed. He pulled it away and let the robe slip to the floor leaving Kagome completely bare.

He felt Kagome squirm a little in embarrassment but she didn't break the kiss, she didn't push away, she didn't say no.

Kagome's hands wandered over his chest feeling the defined muscles and memorizing the way they moved under her hands.

With one full swoop, and a squeal from Kagome, Inu yasha picked her naked form up and walked over to the bed. He placed her down on her back and stopped. Kagome sensed his hesitation.

"Don't stop, Inu yasha." Kagome pleaded. Grinning she sat up and with both hands grabbed his ears and began to rub. He growled and then blushed a deep shade of red remembering yesterday. He growled even louder and pinned her to the bed beneath him.

Immediately Kagome felt a large hard lump against her upper thigh and with eyes wide Inu yasha began to wander again, touching and kissing, caressing, and sucking. Moans of pleasure and purrs of excitement escaped Kagome's throat. She was in her own little utopia.

When Inu yasha began to grind Kagome felt like she was going to explode at the sudden new feeling, her arousal at the max. Inu yasha chuckled at Kagome's sudden gasp and began kneading a breast again happy he could please her.

Kagome stopped Inu yasha and pushed his sweaty chest off of her own sweaty chest to take off his baggy red pants. Inu yasha saw Kagome's hands shake a little and decided to help her by holding them and guiding them to the right loop in the knot to pull.

With the last obstacle finally out of the way Kagome felt his slightly pulsing member against her inner thigh. She looked at it then at his face to kiss him. Inu yasha took the opportunity to coax Kagome to open her legs in a straddling position.

Inu yasha trailed his long claws slowly down Kagome's stomach and stopped to tickle the sensitive area just above the tuft of dark hair that leads to the most sensitive area on her body. Kagome smiled and giggled during the kiss. Inu yasha smiled back and lightly began to drag his claw further downward.

Carefully, so not to cut her, Inu yasha inserted a finger and then a second, and then a third… each time Kagome groaning. Kagome soon found herself unconsciously rocking against his hand and breathing hard.

Inu yasha withdrew his fingers and licked them clean while noticing the big disappointment on Kagome's face. He leaned forward and mumbled something into her ear…something that made Kagome blush despite all that they had been doing.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his slick body, pulled him close, and held on tight. He pushed his way into her but stopped at the barrier that made her a virgin. He kissed her cheek and pushed through hard breaking her hymen. She didn't yell out like he thought she would. She didn't even dig her nails into his back that hard, but she did whimper…and her lip quivered.

He waited a few minutes for most of the pain to subside before rocking out then into her. Kagome forgot her pain immediately as a new feeling sent her soaring above and beyond everything else she had felt that night.

Their breaths came in short hot gasps, the bed groaned beneath them, the old pains forgotten…they were in their own little world.

Inu yasha collapsed on top of Kagome in pure bliss and exhaustion. He withdrew from her body and moved to her side on the bed so he wouldn't crush her. Kagome snuggled up against him and pulled a sheet up over their lower halves. Kagome fell asleep almost immediately. But Inu yasha couldn't help but watch her sleeping form and wonder how such an amazing girl could ever be involved with someone as vicious as Kouga. Before Inu yasha fell asleep he couldn't help but wonder why he cared so much for this girl...this girl that lay sleeping in his arms.

Wow, that was 16 pages long, I can't believe how long it turned out! I sure hope everyone liked it! Please let me know via reviews! ::hint hint:: Now for some answers to reviews!

silverstarlight: She'll find out about her friends ploy next chapter ^.^ If I made them just split the money what fun would that be?

RK-128: I did that to one of my guys friends before…the whole tampon thing. It was quite funny but he got really mad. I like torturing guys about "women" things *cackles evilly*

Pinky-Cat: Thank you! I appreciate what you said. You're the only person that really answered my question about chapters 4 and 5! Thanks!

Kagome-Sama: Yes, I know it's like 10 Things I Hate About You. That's where I got the idea from. I never seriously considered using the whole paintball thing so don't worry about that. ^.^ I would never just copy off of something like that hence the reason behind the whole Kouga attack/attempt to rape Kagome thing. 


	9. Sorrybut read! Important!

Yes I know…you're all plotting evil things against me while I type this "non-chapter update". *grimaces at clanging of swords and knives* hehe…*ahem* Anyway…

The reason for this update is to say thanks a lot for all those peoples who have reviewed my story and continue to read it. It may not be the best thing in the world of FanFiction.net but I hope you all have enjoyed it. _Take Me For Who I Am_ is coming down to it's last couple chapters. I'd say about two…maybe three chapters until I conclude it for good. I'm sure by now all of you are thinking it's going to be Kouga or Sango who will tell Kagome about the whole bet thing and maybe you're right…then again maybe you're wrong. I still have a few twists and turns that I want to put into the last remaining chapters. I feel that a predictable story isn't all that much fun.

The second part of this irrelevant update is to announce a new story. I am in the process of planning another story involving the Inu Yasha cast and would very much appreciate any suggestions. 

So my question for all of you is to help me decide on plot and whether it should be an AU fic or one that follows the actual Inu Yasha story line. Here are a few conflict/plot ideas I have. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on these…doesn't matter if it's "I LOVE THIS IDEA!" or "That idea is waaaaaaaay over done! Scratch it!" Also please let me know what the genre should be. Like, should it be romance? Angst? Humorous? Okay, enough of that…here are the ideas:

Child abuse

Reality TV show type of scenario

Kikyou's revenge

Me taking over the IY world (lol, just kidding on that one)

Drug/alcohol addiction

Gangs

Kidnap to get revenge on Naraku

Um…anything else you guys can think of…


	10. Heartache

AN: There is definitely some offensive language at the end of this chapter so please beware. If you don't like the language then skip it and pretend every F word you see is fish! And every S word is shucks! And every D word is Dang! Lol…you get the idea.

Thanks SO much everyone who replied to my AN at the end of the last update! You all helped me out immensely! I just need your help once more! It's now a tie between child abuse and a gang story. But it will be an AU fic and it will be a romance. So please vote on which one you would like to read! Child Abuse or a Gang story, or a combo of the two. J 

I would also like to thank you, all of you, for the 100 reviews! Over 100 reviews! I'm so happy! Yay! Replies to a few reviews are at the end of the chapter like always and even a reply to my frist flame! Woohoo! Lol! My first flame! Hahahaha! Now on with the story!

Take Me For Who I Am

Chapter 8: Heartache

A pair of amber eyes looked at the girl next to him intently. He couldn't place why he felt to calm and content and…happy when she was near. They had only officially met a few days ago and all this had happened. He prayed to God that it wasn't some sick dream. He didn't want to wake up, not just yet.

He smiled wondering how such a sweet girl could be mixed up with Kouga. At school Inu yasha was the bad boy, but in real life Kouga was the bad one…playing with innocent girl's hearts and minds. Messing them up…traumatizing them…scarring for life. It was because of Kouga that Kagome had suffered so much.

Inu yasha's jaw clenched at the mere thought of Kouga. He vowed to rip his throat out next time he came near to Kagome.

Kagome stirred slightly. Her leg brushed up against Inu yasha's causing him to blush. Despite all that has happened Kagome somehow managed to stay happy, Inu yasha thought to himself.

'I guess I was wrong about you, Kagome.' He thought. 'You don't care if I am a hanyou, you wouldn't care if I was a youkai. You like me for who I am.' The thought made him grin.

He looked at the clock and noticed it was only five thirty in the morning. He had been awake for the last half-hour but didn't want to move he was too happy and warm with Kagome lying on his chest.

'Kagome…you'll always be in my heart, for your kindness and so much more.' He thought before he drifted off to sleep again to the light pitter-patter of rain against the window.

Kagome woke up to the sun's rays shining in her eyes. As she roused to the unexpected warmth that pooled all over her face she breathed in a deep pine scent and remembered what happened. She smiled and looked next to her at the sleeping hanyou wondering what he could possibly be dreaming of.

She giggled when his ear twitched and was forced to bite on her hand when he grunted something about instant noodles in his sleep. Yawning deeply she looked at the clock and groaned. It was almost noon…passed the time they were supposed to leave for home.

Leaving a note on the pillow next to Inu yasha, Kagome quietly left the room and the hotel. She was extremely thankful there were a lot of people in the streets and that Kouga was no where in sight. She asked for directions back to the bed and breakfast and was pleased to find out it was just a few blocks away.

Kagome made her way back in silence, every once and a while she would hum a happy tune or skip for a few paces to show off her good mood.

When she finally reached the bed and breakfast Kagome saw her friends waiting impatiently by Miroku's car. Ayame and Tea saw Kagome and immediately ran over to her. Miroku just looked on with a smug smile.

"Kagome!" Her two friends said in unison. "Where have you been? What happened to you?! Why didn't you call?" Kagome stared back with confusion and embarrassment at the multitude of questions that were being thrown at her.

"Um…" A deep blush began to appear on Kagome's cheeks.

"Well?" The two of them said.

"Yes, Kagome…I'm dying to hear _what_ exactly you were doing last night?" Miroku finally said. The three girls turned their heads to find Miroku with an evil twinkle in his eyes. Kagome began to wonder if he knew…it's not likely…but they were friends after all. Kagome laughed nervously, the blush turning into darker shade of red.

"I'll tell you guys what happened…in the car…we have to go. I told mom I'd be home by dinner." Kagome cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. It worked for the time being but as soon as they all got in the car and left for the highway she was once again bombarded with questions.

Kagome admitted that she lied about seeing a friend that she hadn't seen for a long time, and that Kouga attacked her. The two girls gasped with horror…Miroku almost crashed into a semi…. Then Kagome explained it was Inu yasha who saved her and next thing she knew she was awake on the couch in his hotel room. Kagome stopped there, not wanting to reveal anything else. It was still too embarrassing. One question though, ended all questions…

"So, Kags…You stayed with Inu yasha last night. Did you have fun?" Kagome blushed scarlet at Miroku's question…so he did know after all.

"Uh…"Kagome hesitated immensely. She was going to pound Miroku to an inch of his life when she got him alone. "I guess so. Why do you ask, Miroku?"

"I've been wondering how long it would take you to go on a date, that's all."

"But…" The two girls looked at Kagome expectantly. "It wasn't a date. Not unless you count being attacked by Kouga and being saved by Inu yasha."

"Then why was it fun?" Tea asked a bit worried.

"Um." Kagome could feel the heat in her cheeks still rising at an amazing pace. She didn't think it was possible to blush so much. She didn't want to tell them what happened at the hotel room. "Um…"

"Yeeeeeeeees?" All three of them said.

"F…Fine, it was fun. We played some games-" Kagome was interrupted.

"Like spin the bottle?" Miroku inquired.

"No!" Kagome said in alarm. "We played some games and…and watched some TV. But nothing like that!" She immediately said after seeing the lecherous look Miroku was giving her.

"So it _was _a date then?" Once again Miroku used his talent at mind games trick Kagome into believing it was a date. He knew he had it in the bag. All he had to do was make Kagome admit it was a date…then prom would be free and Kagome would be happy! He knew Inu yasha would never hurt anyone, especially a good friend of Miroku's…like Kagome.

"Well…um…I…I guess you could say that…but it wasn't an official date or anything." Kagome replied quietly noticing the pained expressions on Tea and Ayame's face. After that all questions stopped, and Miroku began looking smug once more and said next to nothing the rest of the way home.

Once back in town Miroku dropped Kagome off at her house first and started to whistle triumphantly. Tea and Ayame looked sour and more than pissed off with their arms crossed beneath their chests and their faces set into permanent frowns.

"I think a black tux would look nicely on me, wouldn't it? Perhaps a nice rose corsage…I'll get a hair cut too, you know. New shoes…" Miroku went on and on, driving purposefully slow.

"Fine, Miroku. Fine." Ayame said through clenched teeth. The truth was… Hojo and Kouga never had a chance, and it was only now that they realized that. Inu yasha had always been a lady-killer with his good looks and bad boy personality.

"Inu yasha will be wanting his 575 yen soon too."

"Yes oh jackass and perverted friend of mine." Ayame replied sarcastically.

"That's no way to speak to me!" Miroku protested.

"Go screw yourself, Miroku. Drop us off here…I want out." Tea demanded.

"Hehe…too late." Ayame and Tea groaned in a disgusted way before scrambling out of the car when it pulled over to the side. "We'll see you tomorrow, Miroku. Ja!" The two of them left the car and started whining and complaining. They had to get the money…they just didn't know how.

The first thing Kagome did when she got in the house was run to the computer to see if Sango was online. She had to tell Sango what happened, she told her best friend everything and wanted Sango to hear what miraculous things had happened on the trip she didn't want to go on.

Sango was online, much to Kagome's pleasure. Before Kagome was able to say hi Sango instant messaged her wondering where the hell she had been.

"Kagome! Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you all weekend!" Sango typed in all caps.

"Nani? You know where I went. I was on that trip to the shore with Miroku, Ayame, and Tea…the trip you didn't want to go on." Kagome replied.

"What the hell are you talking about? I was never told that you were going to the shore. I would've come with you."

"Huh? But they said you didn't want to go."

"Kags, that was all probably just an excuse to get to you!"

"What are you talking about, Sango? They didn't tell you? I wonder why…?" Kagome was beginning to become worried. She remembered the last time she talked to Sango…the time Sango warned her about a devious plot against her. Did it involve her friends?

"Listen to me, Kags. I need to tell you something. Please don't be angry with me." Sango started.

"Hey, I'm sorry Sango. I have to go. Mom is threatening to pull the phone line if I don't come down for dinner and then start my homework. You'll have to tell me tomorrow morning, okay? I've never gotten angry with you so don't worry about that. I can't wait to see you tomorrow! I have SOOO much to tell you!! Inu yasha and I might be going out! Gotta go! Bye!" With that said Kagome signed offline and ate dinner with much enthusiasm. Studying afterward wasn't as boring as usual and she managed to get to sleep before midnight for the first time in about two months. She was happy to say the least, and very much unaware of what would happen the next day…that is until she was plagued by the same dream two nights before. By morning, however, her spirits were still high and she had completely forgotten the dream.

The sun was shining brightly as she skipped to school. She left early to see Inu yasha. She had to know how he truly felt, and to tell him she didn't regret that night. Kagome fully convinced herself that if she was going to get over Kouga once and for all Inu yasha would be there to help her all the way.

At the schoolyard she met Sango who looked at her worriedly before pulling her aside to a shady area under a very large tree. Sango's normally calm and gentle eyes were full of worry and extreme concern as she let her best friend spill her guts. Kagome told her everything and hardly blushed even during the more intimate parts.

Sango opened her mouth with horror realizing her best friend was used…used by a player that probably cared nothing for her. It was worse than Kouga. When Kagome was finished Sango continued to look at her with terror in her eyes and her mouth wide open. She was just about to speak when two boys passed by looking at Kagome with new interest…they didn't bother to keep their voices low as they spoke, obviously wanting to be heard.

"I heard that Higurashi girl is good." The slightly taller and more devious looking of the two said looking Kagome up and down.

"I heard she was more than good. I never thought it possible." The other one said. Kagome frowned not completely understanding what they were talking about.

"After all…Inu yasha wouldn't lie about something like that. He knows who's good or not ya know…" The taller one said.

"Tell me about it. He's the biggest player around. It's rumored he could get any girl in bed and apparently it's true." Kagome's eyes flashed dangerously. Her hands turned into fists so tight that her knuckles were white. Her body shook with anger. Without looking at Sango or the two boys Kagome plowed right through everyone and everything looking for Inu yasha.

"How could I have been so fucking stupid?!" Kagome yelled at herself. People all around looked at her strangely as she passed. Some looked at her in surprise, some with naughty thoughts, and some with laughter in their eyes. Kagome stomped around the schoolyard until she heard another boy say Inu yasha was getting ready to pummel some kid outside the physics lab.

Kagome glared darkly at a group of popular kids as they watched her climb the steps two at a time. Whispers were all around her… Kagome let out a feral growl whenever she heard the name Inu yasha or Kagome, or Higurashi, or bed, or playboy, or something of that genre.

Kagome turned the corner of the hallway and stopped in the center of the hallway. There was a crowd of people surrounded around two boys. One was currently being held up near the ceiling by the neck. The other was Inu yasha. Kagome clenched her jaw, her teeth ground together, fists tight, and eyes tightly shut…she had never felt such rage before. It was consuming her. It felt like she was watching a wildfire gathering in strength and ferocity…destroying everything in its path.

"Damn it! Fucking talk or I'll beat the fucking shit out of you!" Kagome heard Inu yasha spit at the boy he held dangerously. The boy just whimpered and tried to remove Inu yasha's hand with his own two hands without success. Inu yasha was far too strong. "Tell me damn it! Who fucking told you?!" Inu yasha yelled in his face. All the boy could do though was whimper.

"INU YASHA!" Kagome screamed. Everyone turned their heads to look at Kagome. A dangerous aura surrounded her frightening appearance. Inu yasha blinked in surprise and dropped the boy who fell to the floor then scrambled to get out of the way. Kagome practically snarled at a few people as she not so calmly walked over to where Inu yasha stood transfixed by the terrifying sight. 

"Oh fuck." Inu yasha said. He knew exactly what was wrong. She had heard the 'rumors'. "Fuck fuck fuck…"

Kagome continued to walk down to where Inu yasha stood, her eyes bored into him with a death glare. She looked ready to kill. Inu yasha felt as if he was about to be killed. She didn't look like she was in any mood to listen to any explanations. 

"Inu yasha…" Kagome said as she stopped in front of him…her voice quavered. She was more than just pissed… she was enraged.

"K…Kagome?" Inu yasha said taking a step back. A few guys laughed at Inu yasha's obvious nervousness. Others murmured quietly to one another exchanging money or whispering 'This is gonna be good'.

"How could you fucking do this to me?" Kagome said so quietly that only Inu yasha and a few of the closer people could hear.

"What? Do what?" Inu yasha asked nervously. Kagome let out another feral growl and looked at him in the eyes. Inu yasha noticed the hurt…the pain…and the rage. He gulped and watched as one solitary hot tear fell down her cheek. His facial features softened slightly at the tear.

"You're such a fucking liar you jackass!" Kagome yelled out suddenly. A few people backed away at her sudden outburst. Kagome raised her fist and punched Inu yasha as hard as she could in the chin. A few people gasped, some even clapped. Inu yasha took a step back so he wouldn't lose his balance. He blinked in surprise at the sudden pain that shot through his face. When he turned to look at Kagome she was already walking away with Sango trailing behind her. 

Okay, so that was 9 pages, not bad. Anyway, for the next three weeks I won't have much time to write but I'll get done as much as I can. I have finals in a week and a half and then I'm moving to a new house right afterwards so I'll be pretty busy. Replies to reviews are below! More reviews are welcome! J Hint hint, wink wink, nudge nudge. 

Imouto-chan: Me? Stop updating this story? Ack! What would make you think like that? It takes a while to plan out and write a 10-20 page chapter.

celestial_x: Ahh, my first flame. Yet a flame is only an opinion and I'm very open when it comes to opinions since I've been a web site reviewer for the last year and a half. Flames are only words and your opinions so they cannot hurt. J But I appreciate it all the same. I'm aware I spelled youkai incorrectly. It was a spelling error on my part and I was too lazy to go back and change it so I just kept it that way. My dialogue is too unrealistic? So? And being a hanyou isn't unrealistic? Lol, it's my story so I can write it any way I please. If you don't like the way I write then obviously you don't have to read it. I appreciate your review on this story and even more on my newest story, Game of Submission. Thanks for reading.

FanFicFanatic: YAY! Thank you for my 100th review!!

Me: Of course I will finish the stories I have. I'm almost finished with this story and I just started Game of Submission and that one will be shorter (a lot shorter) than this one so there shouldn't be any worries. I finish all my stories eventually.

Alex: Actually I am seriously considering your idea. You and a few others have said the same thing and I have an idea that will tie in with what you said, so thanks!

Golden Skies: Yeah, I know…they meet and three months later they're married is over done and I want to do something different since this story is one of those over done things ^^; Love at first site is a good idea, but with the story idea I have in mind it may be very difficult to have them fall in love at first site…then again…I guess I can use that idea. I'll think about it.

Katana: lol, you're really funny, you know that? Yeah, I don't even like Kikyou so it would be hard for me to write a Kikyou's revenge type of story. I'd love to take over the IY world, which would be really fun but also very hard to write a story like that. 

Kagome-Sama: Kagome and Inu Yasha forever! Woohoo! Someone who knows what I'm talking about! Alright! Sure you can help take over the IY world! Hahahaha! That would be so great! I just love multiple reviews from the same person! Thanks so much! It took me forever to write that lemon scene but I'm happy you liked it!

Pinky-Cat: Yeah, everything seems to happen to everyone else except for Kagome. I'll make sure she gets what's coming to her! Bua hahahahahaha!

A reviewer ^_-: I think I will make a combination of a few ideas. It seems to work out perfectly with the idea I have in mind.

Ookami-Youkai: *blinks twice* Awe, you figured it out? Nope! *cackles evilly* Then again…maybe you did…hmm, you'll just have to wait to find out! By chance…are you Ookami-chan? The author of Turnabout is Fair Play? Hmm? o.ô

fire goddess: lol, did the review form give you trouble? Or did you post 4 times just to get your point? Lol I know it was mean…but that's just how I want it to be!

Strawberry shortcake: *cries* No way! I wouldn't let anything that extreme happen! That would be too sad and hard to write! .

Pinky-Cat: I know that song and I love that song. I was listening to a similar song at the time I was writing that part. Music is the best inspiration I know. If I have to write a happy part I listen to upbeat music…a sad part I listen to low and slow and depressing music…but you get the idea ^.~

silverstarlight: Oh man…you can say that again. Lol, I would be beyond pissed if something like that happened to me.


	11. An Explanation

I'm terribly sorry for my extended absence in writing.  It's not within me to go more than three weeks without writing and posting a new chapter. I assure all of you that I have a very good reason and unfortunately I don't have another chapter for all of you.

For the past three to four weeks my family has been packing all of our belongings so we could move.  It was to be a painless move, but certain –ahem- problems arose. The closing date of our new home (which is still being built) **was** June 30th. But *sigh* the builders neglected to tell us that they changed the closing date to August 6th until two weeks before the move.  So basically we were going to be homeless from June 25th to August 6th.  We are currently staying at a hotel until August 6th but that is costing us an extra $6,000 USD (U.S. Dollars). Then of course there's the storage of our belongings which is another $1,000 USD. And while all this is going on I had finals for school. So I've been extremely busy needless to say. To top it all off a friend of mine died from an asthma attack about half a week ago so now I have the funeral to deal with. It's not been an easy time for my family or for me so I beg for your forgiveness.

Now, the hotel we're staying at has internet access but unfortunately its $10 USD for every time we log on so I won't be online very much to say the least. I will, however, continue to write my two stories [Take Me for Who I Am and Game of Submission] whenever I get a chance and I will also start my newest story [summary is below; no title yet. Any suggestions for titles will be appreciated immensely.], and post whenever I have time next, but who knows when that will be.

On a happier note: I can't tell you how extremely happy I am about all the reviews I have gotten for the latest chapters in my stories [15 for TMfWIA and **49** for Game of Submission! YAY! *jumps for joy*] and what baffles me most is that I'm still getting reviews despite the fact it's been three weeks + since I posted them! Thank you! All of you!

**My newest story**

My newest story will be another AU featuring my favorite couple Inuyasha and Kagome. It will also have some fluff between Sango and Miroku. I want to thank _everyone who came to my rescue and helped me sort through multitudes of ideas for this story.  A very rough sketch type of summary is below!_

Kagome is a an 18 year old tom boy who starts school at her life long friend's (Miroku) boarding school which is consisted of mainly boys because of the prestigious all girl school nearby. There she meets Inuyasha (Miroku's roommate), Sango, Kouga and other characters from the cast. When Inuyasha and Kagome meet for the first time it was love at first site. Only, certain things in Kagome's past (namely her physically abusive and law breaking ex-boyfriend) prevents them from being together. Driven by raging hormones, Kagome finds herself joining Inuyasha's sport (not sure what sport yet), dancing dirty in "the cage" at a popular local club with him, and torturing him with her lithe body…and kicking his butt whenever he calls her "sweet cheeks". And over a short period of time both Kagome and Inuyasha realize that they can't stand to be away from each other yet are forced to keep their distance due to Kagome's reluctance to get involved. Then Inuyasha meets Kagome's ex-boyfriend…and finds his Kagome on the hard ground…unconscious.

There you have it. The story will be rated R for frequent strong language and possible violence scenes.  It will be romance/angst or just romance.  There is no title as of yet, but any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!


	12. The Truth Revealed

AN: Wow, it has been a long time since I last updated and I can't tell you all enough how sorry I am! It's been rough and I just got a part-time job and my manager is giving me full time hours .  So please forgive me! Anyway, I still have yet to update Game of Submission because I feel like this story comes first since I started it first. From here on out I have no definite plans or ideas about the ending so I'm just winging it for now unless something comes to me. This chapter is another naughty language chapter so if you're offended by swears and such then just don't read or pretend fuck is frick and shit is poop…and so on. Anyway, there's an old lady in this chapter. Make her whoever you wish. I guess it could be Kaede, but I didn't plan on it being her or anything so she's too unlike Kaede then make it some weird passerby.

  
Take Me for Who I Am

Chapter 9: The Truth Revealed

"Oh fucking hell!" Inu yasha roared down the hallway after Kagome's retreating back. "And you fucking believe the shit these shit-holes are saying?!" Inu yasha took a few steps forward spitting as he yelled at the top of his lungs. Teachers started opening their doors to see what all the commotion was about and some of the male teachers even walked over to the enraged hanyou to calm him down.

When Kagome ignored Inu yasha's protest he let out a growl so loud it could have woken the dead. His eyes flashed red with anger and in a last attempt to get Kagome to come back (because he couldn't lose her after he finally got her) he took off his cap, threw it to the ground and started yelling again despite all the gasps and subtle yelps of surprise from his classmates and teachers.

"Kagome, do you fucking think I'm going to let you walk away because of some stupid rumors?! Do you honestly think I walk away every time people made rumors about me being what I am?!" Inu yasha got Kagome's attention immediately. She stopped and turned around all too aware of the many faces now directed towards her. All the eyes stared at her…unblinking. But she stared at Inu yasha, shocked to see his cap on the dirty floor and even more shocked to see his hands move his shades away from his eyes.

            After just seconds of silence that felt like an eternity Kagome finally answered. "Just what do you think you're playing at, Inu yasha?" Her answer took Inu yasha by surprise leaving him speechless. He was expecting more anger, more yelling, possibly even out of sympathy for revealing his secret once and for all... but what he got was something different.

            "These last few days, Inu yasha, has been the time of my life. I don't remember having so much fun with a person I've barely known let alone having so much fun with a guy after what happened in eighth grade." Kagome clenched her fists and began to grind her teeth trying to hold everything back. "Then all of a sudden it's completely _ruined by some jerk-off who thinks it was all fun and games!" She yelled. "Once again I played the complete moronic and naive victim/fool because some guy wants my fucking body!" By now Kagome was screaming with all the hate, anger, despair and loathing she had kept in for years. Each word she spoke shook and stung Inu yasha. He winced at the pain that seemed to emanate from her._

            "Damn you, Kagome! You think I thought it was a game? Oh fucking hell!" He roared once more. "If you think that then you really are a fool! I would never have showed you what I am if it was all some damn ploy to get you to fuck me!" He paused for a moment to let it sink in. "You're the only person beside my dead parents and Miroku who doesn't care if I'm a hanyou or not!"

            A few more people let out sudden gasps of surprise and many people began to back away in fear. Neither Kagome nor Inu yasha noticed, however.

            "DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT TELL EVERYONE WHAT HAPPENED TWO NIGHTS AGO?!" Kagome screamed above all the chatter that seemed to have started after Inu yasha's last outburst.

            "Are you fucking kidding me?! Of course I didn't! Why else do you think I was about to beat the shit out of some freshman?! I'm just as fucking pissed and curious as you!" Inu yasha saw a vein begin to pulse at Kagome's temple. He saw her lower her head until her eyes saw the floor; her shoulders were tense and began to shake even more violently, but when she spoke she spoke with such forced calm it frightened Inu yasha even more than when she was consumed by anger.

            "Do you honestly expect me to believe that? Only two people knew and I sure as hell know I didn't tell anyone!" It was a lie, she knew that, but practically the entire school knew by the time she told Sango that morning. Inu yasha said nothing in his defense. He was cornered; there was no way out of this one. He hadn't thought that she would say that. He knew she wouldn't tell anyone, and he knew for a fact that he sure didn't, but that means they weren't the only ones that knew. So the questioned remained unanswered as Kagome spun around again with Sango trailing behind her…who else knew what had transpired between them?

            "Don't you dare leave me hanging here, bitch!" Inu yasha spat.

            "You leave me alone, you bastard of a youkai! I should have listened to my parents and kept my distance from the conniving little filth such as you! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you!" Kagome raged on. Inu yasha's eyes opened wide in surprise then his ears flicked backwards in a rage that he had never felt before.

            "I'm a _hanyou, bitch!" He yelled. Inu yasha watched through angry eyes as Kagome continued to push her way through the hallway trying to get away._

            Inu yasha shrugged off the two male teachers who had put their arms around Inu yasha's shoulders to keep him from doing anything irrational, not like it would have helped because of his strength. He was beyond pissed. He was beyond enraged. He needed a way to relieve all the anger that was eating away at him. He took it out on the next non-living thing he saw. The lockers. He threw a punch at the metal objects instantly turning them into an unrecognizable pile of metal on the floor. As he walked down the hall people parted for him, creating a path unobstructed by anything or anymore.

            Inu yasha couldn't tell what hurt more. That Kagome didn't believe him or that he was once again cast out by society because of what he was.

            Once outside and free of people's stares Kagome collapsed to the ground near a large tree and sobbed uncontrollably. She was ruined again. Her life was ruined again. All it took was a pair of pretty amber eyes, two cute silver ears and a trusting façade. She had been used and this time it was worse than the last. And what hurt the most was that it wasn't considered rape because she had wanted it! Kagome felt stupid. She had let the past repeat itself.

            Sango wrapped her entire body around Kagome's and cried with her. The last time Kagome was alone, it was before they met, but Sango knew she wouldn't let Kagome go through the same pain she would have to endure alone.

            After a long while of crying Kagome calmed down and just sat on the ground hugging her best friend for comfort. But as much as she appreciated Sango's obvious concern and comfort Kagome felt like being alone. Because that's what she was: alone. She hurt all over and it wasn't just emotional pain either, it was physical pain. Just knowing that she let herself feel for another guy and made a fool of again made her feel nauseous and queasy. All the pain, all the anger, the loathing…the uncontrollable pain washed over her again and she immediately vomited over the grass before her.  Sango remained by her side rubbing her back in a comfortable and understanding silence that was only present where best friends were around. 

            After another half hour of silence Kagome sniffled once more then stood up and began to walk to the school gates with her head bowed. Sango followed suit and together they made their way across the deserted school grounds. When they reached the school gates Kagome stopped and looked at her best friend and with her voice quavering she spoke, "Sango? Thank you. Thank you for everything."

            "Kagome?" Sango questioned.

            "But I want to be alone for a while. Just to think, ya know?" Kagome's voice shook and squeaked a little towards the end of her sentence.

            "I understand." Sango said almost sadly. She knew eventually that Kagome would want to be alone but she didn't want to leave the side of her best friend. Sango felt responsible for what had happened. 'If only I had said something the night before she left.' She thought in despair. Sango watched Kagome's turn and walk away slowly. "Kagome?" Sango suddenly said. Kagome stopped walking and turned around to face her friend. "You're not in this alone this time Kagome. I'm here for you…always." Kagome smiled at Sango's Kind sentiments before turning once more and continuing to walk down the street under the rising sun.

            Sango waited until Kagome was out of sight to run back in school looking for Miroku… after all, he and Inu yasha were best of buds, right? She had to fix this. She had to find out what exactly had happened. Sango was sure she couldn't live while her best friend was wallowing around in misery. 

            Sango ran through all the halls checking all the rooms as she went. She checked the gym, the cafeteria, the science labs, the library…hell, she even went into the band room and the boys locker rooms (scaring the shit out of some and receiving hoots from others)! She checked the math wing, the literature wing, the second gym, the history wing….

            Sango sighed in defeat and ended up sitting on the steps leading up to the second floor. The second period bell rang and a crowd of people started piling out of the rooms. She let out a small whimper as her chance to find Miroku shattered as hundreds of students filed passed her on the way to their next classes. Sango rested her head on the palms of her hands not knowing what to do next. "I guess I have to start all over then." She said to no one.

            "Sango? Why weren't you in class?" A voice said above her. Sango raised her head and stared Ayame and Tea in the eyes. Instantly Sango felt the red hatred rising to her cheeks. She stood with as much defiance as she could muster before replying.

            "It's because of you two and your stupid ass bet!" She said through clenched teeth. Sango walked straight passed the shocked duo and out the nearest exit into the blazing hot sun.

            She was at a loss of what to do then. There was no way she could find Miroku in a school as large as theirs. But there was no way that she could talk to Inu yasha. And yet…there he was, avoiding the stares from his peers under the same large tree that Kagome and Sango were under no more than three hours ago. He stared at Sango's angry form from the corner of his eyes. Part of him was hoping she would come over to talk, another part of him was hoping to die at her hands. Either way, he got his wish. She started walking over in a slow, deadly trudge.

            Stares followed her everywhere she went but she took no notice of them. She was too busy walking to nowhere to notice anything actually. Her mind was blank, too tired to think, too consumed by anger and sorrow to care. She had cried herself until she couldn't any more, and still the dry tears fell, leaving her face red and swollen.

            Someone bumped into Kagome by accident. The sudden jolt broke her out of her blank daydream and quickly mumbled an apology for not looking where she was going. The person who bumped into Kagome said nothing but gave her a glare of deepest annoyance and irritation.

            Kagome shrugged her shoulders in a 'who gives a flying rats ass, anyway' type of way and turned once more only to be startled by an old lady, in her late sixties at least, in front of her holding a small plastic bag. She looked up at Kagome in a pained way before beckoning Kagome to a nearby bench on one side of a walkway. On the other side of the walkway was a little boy with flaming red hair staring dreamily through a chocolate store window.

            "My child, whatever is the matter? What is it that ails you so?" The look was so sincere, so caring, that Kagome's eyes blurred with tears that refused to fall earlier.

            "Nothing that I would like to burden a kind lady such as yourself, ma'am." Kagome replied. She looked away hoping to hide her face.

            "Nonsense, child." When Kagome said nothing in return she fumbled with the plastic bag in her arms and pulled out a box wrapped in gold paper. "Would you like a truffle, dear?" Kagome turned her held slowly to glance at the old lady. She was smiling sweetly and holding out a rather large box of chocolate truffles in front of her. Kagome smiled back and gratefully took one of the larger candies and popped it in her mouth.

            "That's a good girl. Now tell granny what's wrong. I've been around the park more than once, dear, chances are I have a few good words of advice for you." The old lady chuckled to herself. Kagome hesitated, not sure whether to tell this stranger anything. Then she figured that she had been screwed over (literally and not literally) twice already, so if it happens again…well, put it this way…shit happens.

            "I really don't wish to trouble you with my teenage problems-" Kagome began. The old lady cut her off by making a funny noise.

            "Oh tish tosh! What rubbish I'm hearing! Don't worry about that, child! I'm here to help you! To listen to you!" Kagome smiled weakly and began her story that started years ago. She said what had happened to her because of Kouga, how she felt when he was cleared of all charges. Kagome talked about the long road to recovery, not trusting others well because of what happened. Then she got to Inu yasha and his kind hearted façade. She spoke of the night of intimacy they shared, and the disaster that soon followed. Kagome spoke until she could no more, and afterwards she felt a bit better. 

            The old lady kept quiet throughout the entire one-sided conversation, nodding in understanding, frowning and gasping in horror. It was only at the end that she spoke her mind.

            "That, my child, is definitely something that would worry and concern anyone." Kagome remained silent, almost fearing a disgusted reprimand from her new friend.  "There are people in this world, my dear, that are foul. There are creatures in this world, my dear, that are golden."

            "What do you mean?" Kagome replied.

            "If I told you that that gentleman over there," the old lady pointed to a rather sinister looking man with long dark hair and a creepy pelt, "was a youkai, what would you say?"

            "I wouldn't doubt you. He's creepy." Kagome shivered at the odd stare the man with pelt gave her.

            "How do you feel about him being a youkai?" the old lady said. Kagome didn't understand where the conversation was going but said nothing.

            "I wouldn't go near him…not a chance. Youkai can't be trusted." Kagome said. "Especially ones that looks that creepy!" She shivered again. The old lady smiled then stood up and walked to the little boy across the walkway. He was still staring into the candy store window with drool hanging from his mouth.  The old lady spoke to the young boy and soon they both came back to the bench. 

            "Kagome, this is Shippo. Shippo, this is Kagome." The old lady held out the box of truffles to the little boy. His face brightened immediately and with a huge smile he grabbed three truffles and shoved them into his mouth at once. Kagome smiled down warmly at Shippo.

            "What if I told you, dear, that this young boy here was a young kitsune youkai?" Kagome's eyebrows furrowed with disbelief but said nothing. The lady continued. "Shippo dear, do you deny that you are a kitsune youkai?" Shippo shook his head vigorously and continued to scarf down the remaining truffles. "Now what do you think about him, Kagome?" 

            "I don't…know."

            "My child, you know he's a youkai. What do you know about youkai?"

            "I know that they're vicious, violent, power hungry creatures that would do anything to-" The lady snorted and Shippo jumped up and looked at Kagome  in angry surprise.

            "I'm not like that! That's what mommy and daddy say about humans!" Shippo said heatedly.

            "Humans aren't like that!" Kagome retorted.

            "Kagome, have you ever heard of the word 'prejudice'?" The lady said.

            "Of course I have! It's a preconceived judgment or opinion on someone…oh!" Kagome said with sudden understanding and knowledge. "Oh…" she said again dispiritedly. The old lady handed Shippo some money and quickly said good-bye. She watched him bounce to the candy store.

            "Ever since the dawn of life began, child, there has been prejudice against one another. And over many years the unknown hatred between youkai and humans has only increased. Children are brought up to believe what their parents do. For humans it's the foul creatures known as youkai. For youkai it's the unforgiving and overpowering humans. You, my dear, were brought up the same way. You were told not to trust youkai. You were told they were violent and uncaring, but did it look like that little boy was violent?" Kagome shook her head no. "So of course it was easy for you to blame this Inu yasha for being the conniving and sneaky hanyou he was."

            "I still can't say I understand." Kagome said.

            "I'll put it bluntly, dear. You heard these rumors and immediately came to conclusion that Inu yasha was bragging to everyone that he managed to do the impossible. It was obvious that he was at fault because you knew what he was and that made him untrustworthy once the rumors were out! You may not want to hear this, child, but you didn't even give him a chance to explain he did nothing wrong. You didn't even let him tell his side of the story. You were the untrusting one. You were the one judging him for what he was, not who he was." Kagome's expression changed quickly from sorrow to horror.

            "Guilty as charged I guess…" Kagome said weakly.

            "Now child, what did you say he was doing before you confronted him this morning?"

            "He was going to beat up some kid because of something he had heard." Kagome blushed with further understanding. "Some rumors that he had heard."

            "Bingo! And now what are you going to go do about it!" The old lady said like a general.

            "I'm going to be more open and apologize and talk to him!"

            "You bet your young little ass you are!" Kagome giggled at the woman's attitude. "Now get out of here! Off with ya! I don't ever want to see your face again until things have been patched between you two!" Kagome stood up and hugged the woman kindly before breaking into a run towards school. Hopefully, she thought, he'll still be there.

            For ten minutes straight she ran. The stitch in her side grew and burned with pain. The muscles in her legs had begun to cramp long ago. But she knew she couldn't stop. She had to set things right. She had to find out what happened.

            Kagome stopped running and rested against a lamp post for a moment to catch her breath. She closed her eyes letting the sweat drip over her forehead and on to her nose before wiping it away with the back of her uniform sleeve.

            In the distance she heard footsteps steadily coming closer. She opened her eyes to look at who was coming. It was Hojo. The kind but very slow boy that had a crush on Kagome for years. Kagome groaned then noticed the worried expression on his face. "Why, god? Why me! What did I ever do to you?"

            "Kagome," Hojo began. He stopped in front of her and started speaking again. "I've been looking all over for you. Miroku and I both have actually. Didn't you get my calls?"

            "What calls, Hojo?" Kagome asked fully aware that he had called at least twenty times while she was away at the shore.

            "I've been calling you all weekend. I needed to tell you something important before something happened." He paused. "But I guess I was too late."

            "What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

            "Your friends, Ayame, Miroku, and Tea…they - well you see – they made a bet, Kagome. Well, Ayame and Tea made a bet, actually…Miroku just joined in so he could play matchmaker…"

            "What bet, Hojo?" Kagome began to get a little nervous.

            "You can't blame, Miroku, Kagome. He just wanted to set you and Inu yasha up, you see…"

            "_What bet?_" Kagome asked again.  Hojo started cracking his knuckles, a habit he usually did when he was under extreme pressure.

            "It's like this, Kagome…" Hojo started.

            Sango walked over to Inu yasha with a deep frown on her face. Her facial muscles ached from frowning so much, but she just didn't care. She also knew that Inu yasha had noticed her by now. It was impossible for him to be a hanyou and have super acute senses and not know she was coming. He simply just didn't acknowledge her presence. This made Sango even more pissed.

            Inu yasha shifted his position so that his legs were spread apart and his knees were bent. His elbows were resting on his knees and his silver hair blew over his face with the wind. He too wore a frown as he watched, with his amber eyes, Sango slowly make her way across the school grounds to the large tree he sat under.

            When Sango finally got within ten feet Inu yasha rose to his feet, placed his hands in the pockets of his fatigue pants, and continued to stare at her unblinkingly. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like an eternity but when they did they spoke curtly and in hurtful and blameful tones.

            "You were part of that stupid bet, weren't you Inu yasha?" Sango accused.

            "Of course I was. The money was too good to pass by. Getting into her pants was just an added bonus." He said sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

            "You broke her heart." Sango said. The word 'heart' squeaked out of her mouth. She swallowed a lump in her throat forcing herself not to cry. Inu yasha instantly smelled something salty.

            "Don't be a fool, bitch." Inu yasha hastily said. If he had a weakness it was seeing girls cry. "I'm not that shallow and desperate."

            "What the hell are you saying?! You just had sex with her and now you're dumping her like she was some revolting prostitute!"

            "I said don't be a fool!" Inu yasha suddenly roared.  "I have been completely infatuated with Kagome since I first met her! I would never take money to try to get her in bed with me!" He continued.

            "You fucking LIAR!" Sango screamed. Several birds in the tree above them squawked and flew away in fright. Inu yasha balled his hands into fists.

            "Miroku would never choose anyone who wanted her just for the money and perhaps for a something little extra!" He continued. "He knew all along that I've practically been on love with the girl but was too fucking afraid she would turn away because of what I am! Going along with this bet was a perfect cover-up story so I could finally ask her out!"

            "Your perfect cover-up story wasn't so perfect, Inu yasha." Sango said calmly. "In the end you crushed her more than Kouga could ever crush her."

            "You think I don't realize my mistake?" He too was calming down now. "You don't think I don't regret not telling her right away? I was too caught up in my own selfish and hopeful ambitions that I didn't think about the consequences! You don't think what I wouldn't give to turn back the clock and start all over?" He said almost pleadingly.

            "I don't know if I can believe you, Inu yasha."

            "Then go fucking ask Miroku!" Inu yasha said growing angry again. He felt heat rise to his cheeks despite all efforts to calm down.

            "I've been trying to, moron. I haven't found him yet." Sango remained calm. She didn't feel the necessity to get all worked up again.

            "He wasn't at school. He went looking for Kagome to tell her the truth since I highly doubt she would listen to me." Inu yasha leaned against the tree crossing his arms. "But he's here now. Look behind you." Sango spun around and came face to face with none other than Miroku. His expression was grave and apologetic.

            "What he says is true, Sango. I never wanted to be a part of the bet. I just wanted to help my best friend out, just as much as you want to help yours." Miroku stated truthfully. Sango instantly felt herself soften and full of guilt. 

            "Why didn't you say so?" She asked. Miroku shrugged.

            "Stupidity, I guess. I don't expect you or Kagome to forgive what I've done but you should at least forgive Inu yasha. After all, it wasn't him who started the whole mess." Sango smiled weakly at Miroku but said nothing.

            "Did you find Kagome?" Miroku's frown deepened.

            "Yeah, I found her alright. Hojo found her first, though. She didn't look too pleased."

HA! Bet you guys didn't think it would be Hojo to tell Kagome about the bet! BUA HAHAHAHAHA!  Okay, yes yes yes…I know that was an unbelievably short chapter. Please don't murder me, and I'm sorry about the whole old lady thing. I wasn't sure if it would be too boring or whatever so if it was I'm sorry. L  Anyway, I do believe the next chapter shall be the last. *everyone cries* Gomen ne! Here are a few review responses, but since there were so many since the last real update I won't respond to all of them. So if I don't respond to yours then please don't be offended! I'm sorry!

LtlSwimmerGurl: $10 is ridiculous! There is a phone jack, but unfortunately we get charged for any out-going calls (including internet calls) we make from the hotel room. That whole currency thing…I have NO clue what-so-ever. I found one thing on the internet, then someone e-mails me and tells me something different. Sorry I can't help you 

Kitty: That was a kinda scary review, Kitty. *backs away* hehe…hehe…he…he

Miko Youkai: I'm not sure who said it yet, lol. I still have yet to figure that one out. To be completely honest I hate Kikyou more than any other character in the whole series. Haha, I like Naraku more than I do her! Now that's just scary…

Kagome-Sama: Thanks J I appreciate it. The thing is…no one knew he had asthma, so once he had an attack he didn't have anything to help him out. He was alone in the shower when he passed away. I miss him lots. *sigh* 

Pinky-Cat: *cringes* ooh, ouchy! That must have REALLY hurt! I hope those guys got caught in the end! I hope your brother is okay too! That's a really cute idea, making him wear the same clothes every day to make up for what happened. But you know…something like this just can't be forgiven just like that *snaps fingers* It takes a long time. His clothes would get nice and smelly ^^;

MoodSightEyes: Sorry if you found the lemon to be a little disappointing. Read my other story, Game of Submission. It's nothing but lemon and I can tell you one thing…I'm not holding back like I did on this story! *cackles evilly*

silverstarlight: I could never make my perverted houshi the bad guy! I love him way too much to do that! I had to come up with a way that he wouldn't get into as much trouble when Kagome found out about the bet. I hope it worked out all right.

Strawberry shortcake: *Thinks hard* Kikyou, Naraku, or Kouga? I dunno…Naraku is just a sinister looking passerby in the story and Kikyou is non-existent. That would leave Kouga, but that's too obvious! I don't know what I am going to do yet.

WinterSakura: lol! Alright! You got your update! You can stop begging now, haha!


	13. Shame and Blame

So here's the last chapter of Take Me for Who I Am! Ta da! I hope you guys won't be too disappointed with how it ends. I don't even like how it ends but I couldn't just have Inu yasha walk up to Kagome and say 'Sorry! Will you forgive me?' And then have them kiss and make up. That would be way too unrealistic. Anyway, Game of Submission is going to be finished, I'm just sorry that it's taking so long. My newest story, Be My Angel Again, will be out soon. I'm almost finished with the first chapter. I'll finish those two short stories first before I start my next long one. Anyway, read and review and thank you, all of you, for reading and being patient!

Take Me for Who I Am

Chapter 10: Shame and Blame

            It was one of those sappy movie moments. You know, pouring rain and depressing background music? Yeah, well that's how Kagome felt that moment. It was raining again, and though that oddly made her feel better it just made her even more depressed remembering the last two times it rained. And she swore she heard sad music far off in the distance.

            Well, whatever, it didn't matter anymore. After hearing what Hojo had to say she stood there stunned. It was a game after all. That crazy old bat _was_ wrong. Kagome didn't know what to do just then. Her hands had shook, her eyes had watered, and she bit her lip trying and failing to prevent herself from crying and falling to pieces.

            So you know what she did? She stared Hojo in the eye, snarled in a most 'typical youkai' way and slapped him as hard as she could. She called him a bastard and turned on her heel and started walking home alone.

            And that's where she is right now. On her way back home. There was no way she could describe how she was feeling right then. It wasn't despair. It wasn't hatred. It wasn't stupidity or even disappointment. She was empty. Void of all emotion.

            Kagome fell into that blank stupor she was in before she met that lady and that flaming red haired boy and sinister man that sent shivers down her spine. She continued walking slowly down the sidewalk without watching where she was going. She never once contemplated suicide…hell no. She would bounce back; she always did when something horrible happened. And if it did happen to take a couple years like last time then so be it.

            Kagome sighed dispiritedly at the thought. 

            "Perk up, Kag!" She told herself. "Remember  Nasaki? Her first time? She said it was so horrible and painful that she told her mom and she made her go to the doctor!" Kagome tried to laugh at the thought. "But I never thought my first time would go so wrong…"

            Kagome's eyes prickled with tears and her vision was soon glazed over and they started to fall silently down her cheek.

            Inu yasha turned around slowly and headed back into the school.

            "Where're you going Inu yasha?" Miroku asked. Inu yasha didn't stop and continued up the stairs into the building.

            "I'm gonna find the little shit that ruined everything…oh wait a sec… I AM THE LITTLE SHIT THAT RUINED EVERYTHING!" He suddenly roared startling everyone. They all jumped a bit and Sango chewed her bottom lip as the door to the school closed with such force the glass broke.

            No one said a word and soon Inu yasha came bounding out of the door again with his backpack. He snarled at Miroku who tried to stop him and began to run at top speed towards Kagome's home where he was sure she was going to be.

            Miroku shrugged his shoulders at Sango's disappointed glare and looked at where Inu yasha had been sitting just a few moments before. All around the large tree was some paper littered on the ground. Miroku, being the goody-two-shoes he was picked up the trash and proceeded to the garbage can before something caught his eye.

            All the while Inu yasha thought and thought and thought…about the _other_ little shit that blurted everything out. The little shit that had let it _slip that they had been "together" that night at the shore._

            His eyebrows furrowed as confusion settled in trying to remember any movements, and smells, anything…anything that had seemed out of place when they were doing he knew his and her mommies would not be proud of.

            But nothing stood out. Nothing at all.

            He remembered it being quiet, save for the horrible storm that was raging outside.

            He remembered smelling the large snickers bar he pulled out of the mini fridge and the pine scent of the room and even the hotel soap and the rain water from her wet skin, but nothing out of the ordinary.

            He remembered and recounted all the movements he took and she took. From the couch to the bathroom to the fridge to the window to the bed. But nothing else moved other than them. 

            And Inu yasha sure as hell knew he hadn't told anyone, not even Miroku. And strangely enough he trusted Kagome so much to **know** she wasn't lying when she said she hadn't told anyone.

            Kouga was long gone by then; otherwise he would have smelled him. And the others were in their beds at the hotel room. So who knew then?

            Inu yasha stopped at the corner and waited for the car to pass by. He lifted his extra sensitive nose in the air and sniffed ferociously trying to distinguish Kagome's distinct scent from all the others.

            He couldn't quite remember how to get to her house.  Sure his smelling was way above average, even for a youkai, his hearing was even better, but when it came to his memory…he was just like everyone else unless it involved a specific scent or touch or taste.

            It took a few moments to sort out the multitudes of scents, from smog to cigarette smoke, from gasoline to coffee, from one person to another…. Eventually, though, he smelled Kagome and her tears. His lips curled downward into a frown. She was crying. Forcefully too. 

            Inu yasha closed his eyes in disgust. It was bad enough when he saw a girl cry, it was even worse that he knew it was him who made a girl cry. He hated himself more than he did Kouga just then.

            With new found determination Inu yasha jogged in the direction Kagome was headed and vowed to not stop looking until he found her and tried to redeem himself. He couldn't lose her right after he just got her. He just couldn't lose her.

            Kagome stood still in front of the long steps that led up to her shrine in silence not wanting to go in just yet, not wanting to face anyone just yet, not wanting to exist just yet. Her mother would ask questions and that would lead to awkward situations and that was the last she wanted right then.

            Crouching down to sit on one of the steps Kagome thought of that night. How could she have been so stupid to realize what was happening? She was too caught up in feeling euphoric that she didn't even notice that it might not be her Inu yasha had wanted.   How could it have been?

            Kagome let out a small pathetic whimper at her own stupidity and carelessness. How could she let herself get caught in that trap all over again? How could she let herself feel so special all over again because of a guy? How could they make her feel so…wanted?

            Her eyes glazed over again with unshed tears. She felt so worthless, pathetic, unwanted, and unloved.  There was no way anyone could understand how she felt. It was unutterable.

            The tears came at once, wracking her body until it shook with uncontrollable sobs. Then the hiccups came and more shaking.  Her arms wrapped themselves around her legs in a protective shield, her feet just barely hovering above the ground.

            It seemed an eternity for her sobs to subside leaving her feeling woeful and even more pathetic. She sat there on the steps for what seemed like hours. 

The sky was finally beginning to glow a faint pink by the time she stood up and walked up the endless steps to her home and awaiting mother. Kagome turned her face away in embarrassment knowing she would have to tell her mother the truth eventually.  Girls don't go to school happy and come home utterly depressed the same day. A blush crawled up her neck into her cheeks in remembrance.

"Won't hurt to be by myself a little longer, will it? Mama will probably think I'm having fun with Ayame, Tea, and Sango for the evening. Or…or maybe even studying. I could call from a payphone…." She shook her head in disbelief. Purposefully lying to her mother to avoid the situation further, was she really so pitiful that she couldn't even tell her own mother the truth anymore? "I think I'll just go sit on the Goshinboku tree for a while."

The Goshinboku tree was Kagome's favorite place to be alone. It was somewhere that made her feel calm and at ease, no matter how horrible she felt.  She also knew it was a place where she knew she wouldn't be interrupted. 

Before Kagome knew it, she was standing in front of the Goshinboku tree.  She started to climb the tree. Peace and serenity washed over her in waves. She felt strangely calm and though she wasn't happy she still felt at ease and unaware of the world. 

She sat there, on one of the lower branches towards the back of the tree to hide her from the view of the shrine, for a while just thinking about the things that have recently happened despite her efforts to stay away. Curiously enough, her thoughts always strayed back towards one person in particular. It was impossible for her to understand how he could have toyed with her emotions without any guilt or without any subconscious level telling him it was wrong.

"How could this have happened?" She muttered angrily at herself. "How? How? How? _How?!_" Kagome banged her fists against the tree in rage succeeding in getting a rather large splinter.  She let out a yelp of pain that startled her so much that she began to fall out of the tree.

Waving her arms around frantically to catch her balance did nothing except to help lose her footing.  From there everything went into slow motion as she fell from the tree. Her stomach did flip flops as she fell with increasing speed. Thankfully there weren't any other branches in the way on her way down to the ground. 

It was one of those times where she wished her life was a fairytale and her prince charming would show up just in the nick of time to catch her and sweep her off her feet. Unfortunately her vivid imagination left after the whole Kouga ordeal and she fell ceremoniously to the ground and landed on her behind with a rather large 'thump'.

"Owwy…" Sharp jolts of pain ran up and down her spine starting at the tailbone. Kagome groaned and cursed, so blackly it would have made a sailor gasp, as she rubbed her back end with her eyes squinted tightly shut.

It was only then did she notice the shuffle of feet coming towards her at a steady pace. Strong hands grabbed her underarms and helped hoist her off the bit of dirt next to the Goshinboku and over the small fence that surrounded the ancient tree.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat as she inhaled a familiar scent. Her back became rigid as fear gripped her heart in a mighty death grip. But the funny thing of this was that she wasn't nearly as nervous or afraid as she thought she would be. So instead she tried being angry and faced him with all the strength she could muster.

Inu yasha watched as he saw the girl fall out of the tree from the corner of his eye.  He expected her to be in her room, not in a tree. It was smart of her to do so since the flowers that bloomed on the tree masked her scent effectively.  He smiled to himself thinking if she did that intentionally or by accident.  Probably the latter.

He couldn't help but feel all warm and fuzzy all over like he usually did when she was near.  Even in this type of situation he marveled at how wonderful her presence made him feel, yet immediately this thought darkened as he picked her up from the ground when he felt her form stiffen greatly.  Fear swamped his senses and inwardly he grimaced at the obvious fear he had caused her.

Once back on her feet he smelled her fear turn to anger and at once she turned to face him. He winced at the puffy red eyes, her pale complexion, and smeared mascara.

He expected her to scream. He expected her to yell some more. He expected Kagome to turn away again and possibly even run away. What he didn't expect, though, was for her to grab his hand and drag him to a small house away further away from her home and any onlookers.  

She dragged Inu yasha to the door of this small house and opened it without any trouble. The rusty hinges creaked and groaned from the sudden pressure being put on the old rotting wood of the door.

Kagome dragged the startled Inu yasha into a dark room with a well and faced him once more. This time she smacked him as hard as she could and in an angry whisper she yelled at him.

"How dare you show your face here! How dare you even look me in the eyes!"

Inu yasha stretched his jaw and rubbed his cheek before replying.

"I deserved that…" He said finally.

"You deserve a lot more than that, asshole! Go away! Leave me alone! I hate your guts! How could you do that?" Kagome ranted on and on and slapped him again. She fisted her hands into tight balls and pounded on his chest and chewed her lip until it bled crimson, she started grinding her teeth and biting the inside of her cheek and even stomped on his foot to get her point across.

Inu yasha calmly took the poor girl's rage in silence. It didn't hurt really… physically anyway. He let her pound and yell and slap and stomp, and even cry. He didn't flinch, move, or budge one bit.

It took a while for it all to end, for her to exhaust herself from the overexertion.  When it was finally over Inu yasha felt so low that he wished he was never born. 

His ears, normally twitching this way and that in search of any and all sounds, were pinned to his head, his face looked at the floor and his eyes were closed. He's been beaten up before, but never emotionally, and it hurt more than any physical pain could ever hurt him. He wondered how this poor girl could take such abuse.

Kagome fell to her knees with tears silently trailing a wet line down the curve of her cheek.

"Why? Why, why, why, why? _Why?" Was as she could say, yet it was so quiet that even Inu yasha's fantastic hearing had trouble picking it up._

"I didn't, Kagome, I swear."

"You fucking liar." She said just as quietly as before.

"I don't expect you to believe me, Kagome."

"Which I don't." She assured him.

"But I didn't tell anyone. I didn't use you. I could never do something like that. If I did then why am I here?" He brought up a good point, Kagome thought. But she wouldn't be convinced that easily.

"To make me believe you did nothing then flaunt it and rub it in my face when you make a sap of me a second time."

"I would never…"

"How would I know that?" Kagome looked up at him and was surprised to meet a pair of sorrowful amber eyes. She looked away regretfully.

"None of it was a lie, Kagome. I really do like you…a lot. I would never have gone that far with a girl I barely knew if I wasn't so sure."

"Bullshit." 

"It's the truth!"

"You're such a fucking player, Inu yasha! You probably have multiple girlfriends already waiting for you back at your place!"

"That's not true." Inu yasha's blood began to boil with anger. He had never met anyone as stubborn as him before.

"Like hell it is."

"Kagome. Listen to me. You've heard rumors that I'm a player. That I've fucked every girl in school, right?"

"So you admit it!"

"NO!" He suddenly yelled. Kagome jumped. "Do you honestly think that I can keep what I am a secret if I've fucked every girl in school? Do you really think I like to reveal what I am to just any random girl?"

"It's still bullshit, Inu yasha."

"What is?" Inu yasha crouched down to pick up her chin with his long fingers. He could tell she was starting to believe him, but it would probably take a hell of a lot more convincing.

"How could you gloat? How could you tell everyone and then laugh about it and say I was the best ass you've ever had? How? Why?  _How?_" 

There it was. Simple and plain. She had believed him all along, Inu yasha suddenly realized.

"You think I told everyone that shit?"

"How could you not? I'm not the type of girl to do a threesome…there were only _two_ people on that room that night. And unless I somehow managed to convince everyone that I'm you then all the evidence points to you!"

Inu yasha sighed and looked away from her.

"How can I convince you to believe me? How can I get you to forgive me?"

"You can't, not without some damn good evidence that it wasn't you." Suddenly Inu yasha smiled sweetly and stood up leaving a confused Kagome still on the ground next to the well.

"Is that all you need?" This time Inu yasha grinned. "Would you like me to get a silver platter to go along with it?" Kagome squinted her eyes in confusion and watched as Inu yasha put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a rumpled and dirty piece of paper.

"Miroku found this 'bout a half hour ago. He took a bus to get it to me before I got to you." Inu yasha handed the piece of paper to Kagome who accepted it hesitantly. She opened up the paper and smoothed out all the creases before reading.

Her expression grew dark immediately as she recognized the handwriting. It grew darker as she read the message on the paper.

"S-Sorry, Kagome. I didn't do it, sorry to break it to you who actually did." Inu yasha looked away guiltily.

"There's no way Ayame would do something like this! Why would she do that? She didn't know."

"She made up the rumor, never knowing that it was actually real. Well…most of it was real anyway." Inu yasha put his hands up defensively as Kagome sent him a glare.

Kagome felt strangely relieved as she read the disturbing made-up rumor.

"That would explain why she's always been so jealous whenever guys pay attention to me and not her." Inu yasha chuckled at Kagome's response. "I should feel angry about this. But I'm not. Why?" She paused for a few moments to think about all the times something has gone wrong between her friends. It was just then did she realize that Ayame was the cause of a lot of them. She never told Ayame she knew it was her that threw her backpack into the river because Kagome was chosen for class president instead of her. And then there was the time Ayame made fun of Sango's brother saying he was retarded when it was in fact Ayame's brother who was born with Down Syndrome. And then there was the time… the list went on and on, and Kagome understood why she didn't feel angry about this.  It was just another "thing" that Ayame had done.

"Inu yasha?"

"Hn?" 

"I'm sorry. Sorry for doubting you."

"Don't be, Kagome. It's not your fault. You didn't know any better. Neither did I." Kagome suddenly gave Inu yasha the first true smile since that morning. And it made him feel like a million bucks.

"Does that mean you'll go out with me still?" Inu yasha said quietly. 

He received an evil glare from Kagome before she stood up and walked straight passed him and out of the little hut. She stopped right outside the doorway, looked back at him in the eyes and grinned. "I'll think about it." She said. And she continued walking with Inu yasha following behind her. She didn't notice that he hadn't stopped smiling after her last comment, nor did she notice the way he gave Miroku, who was hiding behind the Goshinboku, a thumbs up and mouthed 'Mission Accomplished.'

Hmm, not sure I like the ending all too much. But I didn't know how else to end it. Once again I wanna thank all of those who have continued to read my story and for those who have reviewed. It's been fun, but now I must depart. Wait for my newest story to come out and keep watching (and waiting ^^; ) for Game of Submission to be updated! Ja!

Jet To Brazil: Sorry for not beating Kouga up some more, lol. Hope I didn't disappoint you otherwise.

Shanaka: Any suggestions are always welcome. Especially since I keep changing my mind and what I want to do for that story.

Sangochan: Thanks very much ^^;  I believe I still have a ways to go before I can become a pretty good author, but I try.  

CherryBlossomStorm102: Lol, really? It's one of my favorite movies too.  Go ahead and make another one. It's not like the whole idea hasn't been done before me.

Tetsusaiga: *backs away*  Gomen!  Please don't be too angry!!!  Sorry it took so long! I've started to question my sanity after 10 weeks of being stuck in a hotel room so it hasn't been easy!!!

Ookami-Youkai1: LOL! I can't tell you how much I laughed at your review. Funny thing is…I did consider that!

Ama-chan: Abusive Complications? Hmm, I like that story title. I'll keep it in mind. Thankies!

Munkystyle: Sniff Sniff…that's right. All he really wanted was some love!  *cries*

Merayna: A lecherous monk, eh?  Hmmm…sounds tempting. *grins*

LtlSwimmerGurl : Kagome? Go with Hojo? In _my_ story? HA!

DragonTamer9741: Uhh…I get the point.  ^^;   Did you know that you typed (or copy/pasted) 'update'  290 times? ^^;  Sheesh.


	14. The End

I've received a lot of  "I don't understand" reviews about the last chapter so this last and final update with be the explanation.

First of all, the story is done with. It's completely over. The last update was the last and final chapter. Second of all…about the note…

It wasn't a fake note or anything. Ayame had always been jealous of Kagome and she was the one who had always wondered why Kagome never said yes to any of the offers made by any guys. Guess I should have made that a bit more clear in the beginning. 

Then it was her who threatened to tell Kagome about the whole 'backpack thrown in the river' ordeal. That part was in chapter 2 (maybe 3?) The last chapter we find out it was Ayame who had thrown the backpack in the river and Kagome knew all along.  

The whole note was just another jealousy issue of Ayame's. She was jealous of Kagome for getting together with Inu yasha instead of Kouga. So she wrote a note about them sleeping together but didn't actually know that it had happened. She left it on the school grounds knowing someone who pick it up and read it. Blah blah blah. That's how the rumor started. It was Ayame who started it. Not too creative but, eh, whatever.

Anyway, that's the end. As I said, even I'm kinda disappointed with the end. Maybe I'll go back and change the whole chapter. Nothing really worked out how I wanted it too in the end. Hmm, I'll keep that in mind. So thanks for reading! Hope this clears it up a little more!


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